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Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Amid Federal Scandals, NEPA Residents Seek November Ballot Questions to Ban Insider Trading at Local Level

Signature Collection Beginning Now to Get on the Ballot in Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties

Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties, PA — Frustrated by widespread stock trading scandals in Washington and stalled efforts to pass a federal ban on insider trading in Congress, local residents in Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties are taking matters into their own hands.

Today, community members, anchored by the local grassroots organization Action Together NEPA , officially announced a campaign to place charter amendments on the November 2026 ballot that would ban insider trading by local elected officials in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties. The charter amendments would also increase transparency by compelling each county to use publicly available records to produce a report on all elected officials serving the county.

"Pennsylvania voters deserve leaders who serve the common good, not their own bank accounts," said Alisha Hoffman-Mirilovich, a Luzerne County resident and Executive Director of Action Together NEPA. "While Congress continues to allow blatant stock trading conflicts of interest, we are moving forward at the local level to ensure our own house is in order and send a message to politicians everywhere: enough is enough.”

The initiative addresses a growing crisis of public trust. As financial disclosures reveal elected officials across the country shaping policy while simultaneously managing personal investment portfolios, voters are increasingly demanding transparency. By focusing on county-level government, this grassroots movement seeks to establish Pennsylvania as a model for ethical leadership and accountability.

Northeastern Pennsylvania residents have unique perspective on the scale and scandal of their elected officials at the federal level trading stocks amid conflicts of interest:

NEPA Congressman Rob Bresnahan has been labeled the "top day trader" in Congress, reportedly executing over 600 trades worth $14.11 million since taking office despite campaigning against the practice – the most trades of any member of the Pennsylvania delegation this term. He faced specific allegations for dumping Medicaid-related stocks immediately before voting for a $1 trillion cut to the program, as well as trading AI stocks while pushing for data center expansion. Bresnahan has admitted to being actively involved in his portfolio and consulting with advisors about trades.
Both of NEPA’s U.S. Senators have been called out for suspicious stock trading in conflict with their official duties. Senator Dave McCormick is among the most active and wealthy stock traders in Congress. Despite being worth more than $175 million, McCormick continued to trade stocks, bonds and crypto while in office. McCormick was criticized for having millions in crypto trades while voting on legislation to help the industry. Senator John Fetterman was recently criticized for trading tech stocks like Micron while voting and championing investments in the tech industry. Fetterman also violated the STOCK Act by reporting investments in a bank late.
NEPA Congressman Dan Meuser has an estimated net worth of nearly $70 million but continues to trade millions in stocks while serving in Congress. He has come under scrutiny by insider trading critics for buying and selling stocks in Big Tech companies like Nvidia while the federal government considered and acted on policies that would affect their bottom line. Meuser also violated the STOCK Act by failing to disclose the trades in a timely manner as required.

“Congress is elected to serve and support our communities, not to enrich themselves and their buddies and cut programs for our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Jennifer Graham Partyka, a Lackawanna County resident and registered nurse. “For the past 18 months, Rob Bresnahan has made hundreds of stock trades worth millions while voting to gut Medicaid and other essential services my patients — especially disabled folks and senior citizens — rely on to survive. While he’s getting richer, we’re taking action locally to protect everyday Pennsylvanians.”

The proposed charter amendments in both Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties are designed to ensure the integrity of local government by implementing modern solutions for modern problems. Key components of the proposed amendments include:

Prohibition of Insider Trading: The amendments require the respective County Accountability, Conduct, and Ethics Codes to prohibit elected officials and employees from making individual stock trades or prediction market bets based on nonpublic information learned in the course of their official service.
Enhanced Transparency: The charter amendments mandate that the relevant ethics body produce an annual ethics report for county leadership. This report will utilize publicly available information to encourage transparency regarding elected officials who represent the citizens of these counties.

This campaign is the first step toward restoring public trust. Action Together NEPA and other local residents are now actively seeking signatures to qualify the measures for the 2026 ballot.

Media Contact:

Jessica Brittain, jessica@actiontogethernepa.org

J.J. Abbott, hey@jjabbott.com