The bill requires divestiture for people who want to become a congressperson or president or vice president.
The former president’s massive financial assets were a primary concern of Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) during a Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs debate LAST WEEK.
Sen. Romney: "I mean, he'd have to sell all of his Truth Social stock. He'd have to sell all of his private investments."
Sen. Romney: "This basically would prevent Donald Trump from becoming president if he wanted to maintain his financial assets without getting completely obliterated.”
The bill in question, an amended version of the Ending Trading and Holdings in Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act, ultimately passed out of committee with an eight to four vote, with Republican senators divided on how to proceed.
Trump owns 114 million shares of Trump Media and Technology Group, Corp, worth $3.776 billion, saying divesting of that would be “a massive disadvantage for him.”
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) chimed in to support Romney’s comments, saying he came into the meeting “happy to vote yes on this self-flagellation.” Johnson said he divested of his securities when running for office, considering it to be the “honorable thing to do.”
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI): “You know how much I've lost in terms of opportunity cost since that point in time,” Johnson said. “I’m going to vote ‘no’ now. We don't want to turn Congress into a rich man's club.”
Johnson is one of the richest members of the Senate, with a net worth of more than $39 million in 2018, according to Open Secrets.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), a co-sponsor of the bill, argued with his Republican colleagues who challenged the bill, saying “there's always an excuse for why we can't do a stock trade bill. I've heard this for years.”
“Congress is a rich man's club. That's the problem. That's what we're trying to fix,” Hawley said.
As currently written, Ending Trading and Holdings in Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act, would force Trump to sell his stocks or face a ban from becoming president if he wins.
The bill passed out of the senate committee with an eight to four vote.
White house source told us: "President Biden is planning to sign the bill."
If Biden signs the bill, Trump has to sell all his stocks or face a ban from becoming president if he wins.
Here's a Video of Senators talking about the Bipartisan ETHICS Act To Ban Lawmakers - also Trump if he wins From Buying And Trading Stock.
The bill would prohibit the President along with members of Congress from owning stocks and other financial securities. It will ban Trump from becoming President If Trump Wins and refuses to sell His stocks before taking office.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
BREAKING: new study says 50 years of tax cuts for the rich failed to trickle down
A new paper by David Hope of the London School of Economics and Julian Limberg of King's College London, examined 18 developed countries over a 50-year period from 1965 to 2015. The study compared countries that slashed taxes on the wealthy, with those that didn't.....
Per capita gross domestic product and unemployment rates were nearly identical in countries that slashed taxes on the rich and in those that didn't, the study found.
BREAKING: looks like Trump is set to be indicted in the state of Arizona
The ex-president, who has already been hit with federal indictments in D.C. and Florida, as well as state indictments out of New York and Georgia, now faces new legal risks.
Former Federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner says Trump is likely to be indicted in Arizona.
BREAKING: Tape of Donald Trump having sex with 'many girls' recorded by Jeffrey Epstein to be released
Jeffrey Epstein kept blackmail videos that showed Donald Trump having sex with 'many girls' supplied by him, according to the latest bombshell claims in newly-unsealed court documents.
In the latest dump of papers - made public This Year- are emails sent by Epstein victim Sarah Ransome to columnist Maureen Callahan in 2016. At the time, Callahan worked for The New York Post and was reporting on Epstein.
BREAKING: Looks like the State of Arizona is planning to Indict Trump Next Week.
One of the "fake electors" indicted in Arizona for the plot to overturn the election results in that state has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, state Attorney General Kris Mayes said Friday.
Pictured: Arizona State Attorney General Kris Mayes says One of the "fake electors" indicted in Arizona for the plot to overturn the election results in the state has flipped