Congressional trading has drawn public criticism for years, with high-profile members such as Nancy Pelosi and Marjorie Taylor Greene amassing substantial wealth by timing the market. Investors continue to express concern over potential insider trading, though members of Congress consistently refute such allegations.
Most recently, US Senator Katie Boyd Britt has an estimated net worth of nearly $7 million (£5.1 million), according to Quiver Quantitative. She disclosed almost two dozen stock trades, many of which should have been reported in public records nine months ago.
The late disclosures, made last week, directly violate the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act of 2012, which requires lawmakers, their spouses and dependent children to report trades exceeding $1,000 (£729) within 45 days of the transaction to prevent insider trading. Congress members face a nominal $200 (£145) fine for a first-time late reporting violation.
The trades were executed by Britt's husband, Wesley Britt, a former NFL player. The 22 transactions, valued at up to $330,000 (£240,769), occurred at three separate points last year, with several taking place in April 2025.
According to Quiver Quantitative, two Nvidia (Nasdaq: NVDA) trades executed on April 14 and 30 have risen by 34.9% and 41.1%, respectively. Britt's investment in Alphabet (Nasdaq: GOOG/GOOGL) on April 14 has increased by more than 83% to date.
Senator's Office Denies Any Knowledge of the JPM Holdings
Interestingly, Britt's husband also purchased JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) stock in April and did not disclose it until recently, despite the senator serving on the Senate Banking Committee. The stock has gained almost 30% since the purchase.
The senator's office said Britt 'had no knowledge of that stock holding in her husband's broker-managed retirement account until this week,' adding that her husband has since sold the shares at her request to avoid any conflict of interest. The office said the proceeds from the trade will be donated to charity.
'These individual equity trades were in Mr. Britt's broker-managed retirement account and made without his knowledge or consent,' the office told a media outlet. 'The disclosure was filed as soon as Mr. Britt became aware of the trades this month. Additional guardrails have been implemented to prevent this from happening in the future.'
Should You Copy Congressional Trades?
Many popular online trackers monitor the trades of US government officials based on the philosophy of 'if you can't beat them, join them'. Quiver Quantitative has developed investment strategies that mirror the stock trades of Congress members while avoiding high-risk trades, including financial derivatives such as options.
Because the STOCK Act of 2012 requires Congress members to report trading activity within 45 days of execution, the completion date of a trade is often unknown until much later. Quiver addresses this reporting lag by publishing backtested strategies based on the trade's disclosure date, reflecting when the information actually becomes public rather than when the trade was executed.
However, experts advise against blindly following Congress members' trades and urge investors to take a thoughtful approach when acting on such information.
Disclaimer: Our digital media content is for informational purposes only and not investment advice. Please conduct your own analysis or seek professional advice before investing. Remember, investments are subject to market risks and past performance doesn't indicate future returns.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
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