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Congress Insider Trading: What Public Disclosures Show
Politician Stock Tracker
Congress insider trading makes headlines—but what do public disclosures actually show? STOCK Act filings reveal who traded what and when the public learned about it. They do not, on their own, prove illegal use of non-public information.
The short answer
Public data gives three accountability lenses—not a guilt verdict:
- Recent trades — what members disclosed buying or selling.
- Late filings — trades reported more than 45 days after the transaction (3,002 in our database).
- Timing scores — whether trade dates beat random days on the same stock (50% = luck).
Recent disclosed activity includes:
| Politician | Ticker | Type | Trade date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert J. Wittman | CCI | Sell | 2026-06-30 |
| Tim Moore | DASH | Sell | 2026-06-09 |
| Richard Dean Dr McCormick | ABT | Buy | 2026-06-12 |
| Richard Dean Dr McCormick | LHX | Buy | 2026-06-12 |
| Richard Dean Dr McCormick | SPSM | Sell | 2026-06-12 |
Filings use amount ranges (often $1,001–$15,000) and can arrive weeks after the trade date.
What “insider trading” means in practice
Illegal insider trading requires trading on material non-public information in violation of securities law. Researchers and journalists use disclosure data to ask follow-up questions—not to substitute for SEC or ethics investigations.
What public STOCK Act data can show
- Unusually large purchases vs a politician's norm (unusual congress stock trades).
- Late reporting past the 45-day deadline (STOCK Act late list).
- Timing patterns vs random baselines (do politicians time the market?).
What it cannot show
- Motive, private briefings, or non-public documents.
- A criminal or civil finding—only disclosed facts.
Why transparency still matters
Even without alleging crimes, delayed or unusually timed disclosures reduce the value of copying congressional trades. Retail investors see filings after prices may have moved.
Track this on Politician Stock Tracker
Research trades, delays, and timing on Politician Stock Tracker. Start with latest congress stock trades, then cross-check late disclosures and timing rankings.
Disclaimer
Data compiled from public STOCK Act and OGE financial disclosure filings. This article describes publicly available records and does not allege illegal insider trading. Not legal or investment advice.