Capitol Stock Traders: The Hidden Profits Behind Congress’s Decisions

With the geniuses we have in Congress, no problem should be too tough to solve—whether it’s inflation, healthcare costs, war or disease. Yet ten members ended 2025 with stock market returns far exceeding the S&P, the Dow, and the Nasdaq, achievements typically reserved for legendary investors like Warren Buffet.

Rep. Tim Moore, R-N.C., earned a 52% return on his portfolio; New York’s Rep. Tom Suozzi, D, scored a 35% gain over the same period. Even Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., closed her congressional career with a 33% profit for 2025.

These lawmakers possess information and influence other traders lack—knowledge of upcoming votes or regulatory timelines they can leverage to their advantage. A National Bureau of Economic Research study analyzing two decades of congressional stock trading confirms this pattern. The data also reveals that members with seniority and leadership roles consistently outperform rank-and-file representatives.

Former U.S. House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., earned 54% in 2024 but only achieved an 18% gain in 2025 after stepping down from leadership. Meanwhile, Moore—a freshman member—excels due to his position on key financial subcommittees.

The scale of these transactions has drawn scrutiny: Quiver Quantitative, a watchdog website tracking lawmakers’ trades, reports Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., executed 406 trades worth $79.83 million in 2025—more than two daily trades throughout the congressional session.

“This is about access to information and controlling event timing for personal gain,” said Christopher Kardatzke, co-founder of Quiver Quantitative. “Some members seem to spend more time managing portfolios than attending to their day jobs on Capitol Hill.”

The Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012 prohibits insider trading but enforcement remains weak—members who breach it face only a $200 fine. Rep. Rob Bresnahan, R-Pa., faced criticism for selling stocks in Medicaid management companies just before voting to cut funding.

Despite widespread public support for banning congressional stock trading—86% of Americans back such measures, including 88% of Democrats and 87% of Republicans—a legal solution remains elusive. Yet the House is advancing legislation that would compel violators to surrender profits to the Treasury and face fines up to 10% of prohibited investments.

Even Rep. Suozzi, whose portfolio grew from $9.5 million in 2024 to over $12 million by year’s end, claims support for the ban. Yet while half of Congress has already abandoned stock trading, the remaining members continue to prioritize portfolios over public service.