WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) is facing renewed criticism over her financial activities in Congress, including a reported failure to disclose up to $350,000 in stock sales and multiple trades tied to her committee assignments.
Her opponent, Jack Ciattarelli launched a new website today called “Mikie Made Millions” and is actively investigating the congresswoman’s financial fortunes.
When asked about these trades and her success on Wall Street, Sherrill chalked it up to being lucky.
According to Business Insider, Sherrill paid a fine in 2021 for violating the STOCK Act, a federal law designed to prevent conflicts of interest by requiring lawmakers to promptly disclose stock transactions. The outlet reported she “failed to properly disclose up to $350,000 in stock sales.”
The New York Times further reported that between 2019 and 2021, Sherrill executed trades in at least 179 companies, including firms directly influenced by the committees she served on. That includes Alphabet and Meta, which she traded while chairing a subcommittee on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, and several defense contractors while serving on the House Armed Services Committee.
Sherrill has denied any wrongdoing, stating her trades do not benefit from insider knowledge. However, the Times analysis identified 12 potential conflicts of interest between her financial activity and her congressional roles.
“Ms. Sherrill reported both buying and selling shares of several defense contractors while she was a member of the House Armed Services Committee,” the report stated. The companies included Raytheon Technologies, General Dynamics, Honeywell, and Microsoft, among others.
Trading history draws bipartisan ethics concerns
The database used in the investigation, Capitol Trades, compiled congressional disclosures and matched transactions to committee work and public hearings. Ethics experts cited in the Times warned the volume and timing of some transactions raised concerns about the appearance of conflicts, even without definitive evidence of insider trading.
As of the most recent estimates, Sherrill’s net worth has increased to roughly $10.15 million since joining Congress in 2019. Records show more than 300 trades resulting in over $7 million in reported profits during that period.
The reports have prompted further calls from watchdog groups and some lawmakers for tighter restrictions on stock trading by members of Congress.
