GOP Sen. Josh Hawley and Democrats vote to advance congressional stock trading ban
GOP Sen. Josh Hawley and Democrats vote to advance congressional stock trading ban
This piece of shit LMAO
Republican Sen. Rick Scott, who was not born wealthy but is now worth hundreds of millions of dollars, according to his public filings, said he agrees lawmakers shouldn't be trading stocks. But he defended the ability for members of Congress to be rich, and called attacks on the wealthy "disgusting."
"He made a reference to billionaires, okay?" Scott said of Hawley. "I don't know when in this country it became a negative to make money. But somehow, if you've made money, you're supposedly — I think Senator Hawley suggests — you shouldn't be serving, because you might trade stocks."
"Anybody want to be poor? I don't." Scott continued. "Right? So this idea that we're going to attack people because they make money is wrong. Is absolutely wrong. We should cherish all of our different backgrounds. ... So, I think it's disgusting what is going on here."
Rick Scott champion of the people
The former hospital company CEO oversaw what was the biggest case of Medicare fraud at the time. Under his leadership, Columbia/HCA gave kickbacks to doctors to refer patients and then made patients’ conditions appear worse than they were so Medicare would pay more.
When Scott was forced out of the company as it was under investigation, he left with $300 million in stock, a $5.1 million severance, and a $950,000-per-year consulting contract for five years. The hospital, meanwhile, was fined $1.7 billion, the largest health care fraud settlement in history until that point.
I think Senator Hawley suggests — you shouldn’t be serving, because you might trade stocks.
I added emphasis to show how Scott even managed to rebut his own argument with a single word. He's admitting he's supposed to be "serving". That's because he's supposed to be a servant. He's supposed to be a public servant. Even if it's possible to get rich, obviously, a public servant's first priority is to the public, right?
He's like a fucking butler trying to defend why it's okay that he took the silver serving trays.
Either you're "serving" or you're not. Rick Scott is obviously not serving. He's eating from the buffet while everybody else is starving.
The point is where the money comes from, but he knows that. He just feels called out. Victim millionaires.
Hawley is still a piece of shit; he’s just up for reelection and it’s trying to run from his vote on the Big FuckedUp Bill. Don’t let him dodge accountability- vote that TRASH out!
I'm pretty sure the only reason any conservative or centrist politicians are voting to pass this (and I include Nancy Pelosi in that list) is because they know Trump will veto it 100%.
So they get to look good and can point to this (failed) legislation anytime anyone complains about their stock trading in the future - "I tried to stop it!" and it comes at a time when Trump's popularity is already circling the drain, so Republicans don't think him taking a small hit matters.
This will not stop stock trading. It will stop stock trading in the open.
I think it's a start. This is a form of permissible corruption currently. At least make it's clear that it's corrupt.
Why on Earth would you argue for that to remain legal tho? At least make them open themself to criminal sanction, how would that be any loss. Make it less of a sure thing and more like the massive risk it should be, in line with anyone outiside that inner sphere who tries to pull such shit
They'll just start a private fund like Berkshire Hathaway and send emails to the fund manager who used to be their broker.
Yep fucking tragic. Though he also isn't sincere about it. The man holds no significant position other than benefiting himself. As one of his constituents that's been extremely clear.
He was honest when he said he doesn't own individual stocks. He has a standard of ethics. It's just that you only like a couple of them.
He's just reading the room. The fact that saying "eat the rich" is as common as it is should be a wake up call. When I was younger people mostly said it as a joke. The problem is that nowadays people are putting a little bit more sincerity into the saying.
I’ve been collecting recipes and I keep that lobster pot handy even though I never eat lobster.
Hawley is such a weird character in general. I think he's actually twins posing as the same person.
That’s just what a class war is going to look like.