Rep. Yassamin Ansari accuses Arkansas congressman of corruption

WASHINGTON — An Arizona congresswoman levied a heavy accusation at one of her colleagues, accusing the chair of the House Natural Resources Committee of corruption over stock trades he made.  

In a hearing on May 6, Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Dist. 3) accused Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Arkansas) of improper trades, which amount to more than $1.6 million. All of the shares are of companies overseen by the committee Westerman chairs.  

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“We know that a member of this committee bought up to $1.675 million in stock and sold up to $150,000 throughout the month of March,” Ansari said. “It was an unusual purchase. It was the only time this member registered such purchases since he first came to Congress 10 years ago.” 

Westerman’s financial disclosure shows that he purchased shares of about 100 companies in March. Included in the trades are oil and gas companies Exxon Mobil, Chevron, BP, ConocoPhillips, Suncor Energy, Canadian Natural Resources, BHP, Freeport McMoRan, and Rio Tinto.  

Ansari claims that Westerman is trying to take advantage of a bill, which Republicans say would raise $18 billion in revenue for oil and gas companies by allowing more coal, oil, gas and mineral production on public lands and waters, according to Politico, which was the first to report on Ansari’s comments.  

“These purchases and sales took place while he was writing this very bill, which is an unprecedented giveaway to oil and gas companies and mining companies,” Ansari said.  

Westerman said the stock purchases were made by an investment advisor without his knowledge and that he was in the process of divesting them in an interview on May 6. 

“There was nothing wrong with what happened,” Westerman said.  

Ansari said that she was adding an amendment to the bill, which would make it illegal for members of Congress to trade individual stocks, along with banning insider trading and the use of non-public information for a member of Congress’s benefit. 

“Hopefully, this would make members think twice before they make shady financial deals or take advantage of programs designed to help others,” Ansari said. 

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