1/21 As I write this thread, this story is still developing.
What we currently know, though, is that at least four GOP Senators took what they learned from early coronavirus briefings &, rather than help their constituents, used it to line their pockets through insider trading.
What we currently know, though, is that at least four GOP Senators took what they learned from early coronavirus briefings &, rather than help their constituents, used it to line their pockets through insider trading.
2/21 California Rep. Duncan Hunter was just sentenced to 11 months for misusing campaign funds.
Martha Stewart went to jail for insider trading.
What these GOP Senators did is far worse, for there is a level of criminal negligence that has surely lead to American deaths.
Martha Stewart went to jail for insider trading.
What these GOP Senators did is far worse, for there is a level of criminal negligence that has surely lead to American deaths.
3/21 Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr, from North Carolina, was the first to be outed through secret recordings that revealed him warning certain VIP constituents of a definite oncoming pandemic and economic collapse.
npr.org/2020/03/19/818…
npr.org/2020/03/19/818…
4/21 Soon after it was revealed that Burr had also sold over $1M in stocks, including some in two lodging and hospitality chains, in February, before the stock market took its nose dive.
More has been discovered since, adding to his ill-gotten gains
propublica.org/article/senato…
More has been discovered since, adding to his ill-gotten gains
propublica.org/article/senato…
5/21 This swiftly lead to widespread calls for Burr to resign, including from some corners as surprising as #FauxNews host Tucker Carlson.
It was soon speculated that this call from the right was an effort to sacrifice Burr before more emerged.
Too late.
newsweek.com/tucker-carlson…
It was soon speculated that this call from the right was an effort to sacrifice Burr before more emerged.
Too late.
newsweek.com/tucker-carlson…
6/21 In short order it was revealed that at least three other GOP Senators had also cashed in.
First Sen. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia, who dumped millions in stocks after a private, all-senators meeting on the novel coronavirus. thedailybeast.com/sen-kelly-loef… via @thedailybeast
First Sen. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia, who dumped millions in stocks after a private, all-senators meeting on the novel coronavirus. thedailybeast.com/sen-kelly-loef… via @thedailybeast
7/21 What makes Loeffler's sell-off of particular interest is that her husband, Jeffrey Sprecher, just happens to be the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, which could mean there are hidden depths to her wrong-doing. businessinsider.com/coronavirus-re… via @businessinsider
7/21 Not only did Loeffler dump stocks, her husband did as well, and Loeffler made two purchases of stock in technology companies.
One of those companies, Citrix, offers teleworking software vital in a quarantine situaton. theweek.com/speedreads/903… via @TheWeek
One of those companies, Citrix, offers teleworking software vital in a quarantine situaton. theweek.com/speedreads/903… via @TheWeek
8/21 Ron Johnson of Wisconsin was the next to be outed, having apparently sold stock in an untraded family business worth between $5 and $25 MILLION.
Third GOP Senator caught selling equity before the market crash — this time up to $25 million worth - rawstory.com/2020/03/third-…
Third GOP Senator caught selling equity before the market crash — this time up to $25 million worth - rawstory.com/2020/03/third-…
9/21 Lastly, at least so far, came the notorious Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, who along with Johnson were two of the eight to vote against the coronavirus relief funding bill.
Inhofe dumped up to $450,000 in stock that we know of. rawstory.com/2020/03/republ…
Inhofe dumped up to $450,000 in stock that we know of. rawstory.com/2020/03/republ…
10/21 All four of these legislators were outed within the span of a single day; there could be more coming down the line.
Now make no mistake, what they did is 100% illegal. Richard Burr knows this better than most; he was one of 3 to vote against the law that makes it so.
Now make no mistake, what they did is 100% illegal. Richard Burr knows this better than most; he was one of 3 to vote against the law that makes it so.
11/21 The Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge, or STOCK, Act of 2011 was introduced that year and passed in 2012 after a 60 Minutes expose revealed how often MoC were using insider knowledge to gain an advantage in trading.
cbsnews.com/news/senators-… via @CBSPolitics
cbsnews.com/news/senators-… via @CBSPolitics
12/21 The bill prohibits the use of non-public information for private profit, including insider trading by members of Congress and other government employees. It confirms changes to the Commodity Exchange Act & specifies reporting intervals for financial transactions.
13/21 In other words, what they did was not just illegal, there was a law passed with the specific aim to make it so, and Richard Burr was one of the 3 in a 96 to 3 vote that passed it.
14/21 Burr told the public he was confident the governmentt can fight off COVID-19 the same time he & his wife sold off millions in stock, and likely others they privately warned did also. The three other senators abouve are in a similar boat.
15/21 This act, assuring the public there was nothing to worry about while privately making millions protecting themselves is not merely illegal, it is abominable, and when added to Trump's #gaslighting and stalling, is assuredly responsible for actual deaths of Americans.
16/21 Now, you're likely wondering if Trump himself is involved. That's difficult to say, though it's been noted that the involvement of his son-in-law Jared Kushner is prety shady, and he has some connections in the medical field.
politi.co/2U5ZVg7 via @politico
politi.co/2U5ZVg7 via @politico
17/21 There is also the bizarre invocation by Trump of the Defense Production Act of 1950, which would allow him to order companies to produce vital equipment, before not using it and instead telling states to find supplies on their own.
washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/…
washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/…
18/21 Now, if all were sane and right in the world, these Senators, and any others who are revealed to have participated in this callous act of greed and deception, would be forced out of office, tried, and imprisoned after an investigation that might reveal far more.
19/21 But we live in a world right now where the Attorney General, the top cop in the United States, is Bill Barr, a glorified fixer and enforcer for Donald Trump.
I'm not saying we shouldn't push for justice and punishment.
I am saying I expect Trump to block it, again.
I'm not saying we shouldn't push for justice and punishment.
I am saying I expect Trump to block it, again.
20/21 Ultimately, if that happens, as no doubt most of us expect it will, there is only one way to see justice done.
Every day until November 3rd we must strive to pull our country back together and remind them who created this horror show, then vote the GOP out and prosecute.
Every day until November 3rd we must strive to pull our country back together and remind them who created this horror show, then vote the GOP out and prosecute.
21/21
#VoteBlueToSaveAmerica
#VoteBlueToEndThisNightmare
#VoteBlueForJustice for the victims of the GOP war criminals and murderers.
#VoteBlue
#VoteBlueToSaveAmerica
#VoteBlueToEndThisNightmare
#VoteBlueForJustice for the victims of the GOP war criminals and murderers.
#VoteBlue
Ron Johnson's deal may not technically be insider trading, since it's his family's private company, though it's still unethical that he helped #gaslight about an oncoming danger while making a profit on the side, & also voted against the relief bill.
Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein is now being pulled into this scandal. If she did in fact benefit from insider trading as it seems these others did, surprise, I want her prosecuted also.
Justice should not play favorites.
That said, #FauxNews take on this is typical:
Justice should not play favorites.
That said, #FauxNews take on this is typical:
1/4 According to a recent update about the above, Sen. Feinstein's situation is NOT related; her money was in a blind trust and she lost money on the deal.
Johnson's sell-off also seems to be innocent.
sfchronicle.com/politics/artic…
Johnson's sell-off also seems to be innocent.
sfchronicle.com/politics/artic…
2/4 Keep in mind, it IS good, with shady things happening, people examined and questioned these other sell-offs by Feinstein and Johnson. That is how the truth is discovered.
3/4
4/4 So, with Feinstein and Johnson's sell-offs being legitimate, Burr, Loeffler, and Inhofe still have some explaining to do.
I am re-posting my article about how in breaking stories, misinformation and mistakes will occur:
I am re-posting my article about how in breaking stories, misinformation and mistakes will occur:
1/2 How interesting.
After seeing my posts on this elsewhere, a fellow forum poster recalled the image below from Trump's cringeworthy CDC coronavirus presser on March 6th.
What really struck her was how madly this woman was grinning.
That is, of course, Kelly Loeffler.
After seeing my posts on this elsewhere, a fellow forum poster recalled the image below from Trump's cringeworthy CDC coronavirus presser on March 6th.
What really struck her was how madly this woman was grinning.
That is, of course, Kelly Loeffler.
2/2 Could she have been patting herself on the back for not only avoiding losing millions but potentially cashing in on all of this?
Possibly. Here's another good question: did you know Loeffler and Burr sat together during Trump's impeachment trial?
Possibly. Here's another good question: did you know Loeffler and Burr sat together during Trump's impeachment trial?
Tagging this excellent thread showing a timeline of events onto the end of my thread:
