Members of U.S. House Financial Services Committee snapped up or dumped bank stocks as bottom fell out of market

Unbelievable, what business does Congressman Charlie Wilson have owning stock in companies that he oversees on Committee? At the very least this is very poor judgement..........it gets worse from there.

Cleveland.com story here.

WASHINGTON -- As financial markets tumbled and the government worked to stave off panic by pumping billions of dollars into banks last fall, several members of Congress who oversee the banking industry were grabbing up or dumping bank stocks.

Congressman Charlie Wilson


A representative for Rep. Charlie Wilson said the congressman leaves day-to-day investment decisions to a money manager.

Anticipating bargains or profits or just trying to unload before the bottom fell out, these members of the House Financial Services Committee or brokers on their behalf were buying and selling stocks including Bank of America and Citigroup -- some of the very corporations their committee would later rap for greed, a Plain Dealer examination of congressional stock market transactions shows.

Financial disclosure records show that some of these Financial Services Committee members, including Ohio Rep. Charlie Wilson, made bank stock trades on the same day the banks were getting a government bailout from a program Congress approved. The transactions may not have been illegal or against congressional rules, but securities attorneys and congressional watchdog groups say they raise flags about the appearance of conflicts of interest.

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