Concerns Raised Over Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez’s Stock Disclosures

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) has consistently advocated for a ban on stock trading by members of Congress. However, a review of her financial disclosures from her 2022 campaign and early time in office reveals some discrepancies and missing information regarding her investments in companies like Robinhood, Amazon, Tesla, and Apple, which brings her reporting practices into question.

In a video from January 2025, while discussing a proposed law to prevent Congress members from trading stocks, Perez stated, “We’re not here to get rich. I also think it’s really important that members of Congress and their spouses are not trading individual stocks. It doesn’t make sense to me that we’re currently able to do that. I don’t do it.”

Perez has also emphasized that serving in Congress should prioritize community service over personal enrichment, advocating for a stock trading ban to ensure that lawmakers are accountable to their constituents. She expressed that congressional service should aim for public benefit rather than personal gain.

Moreover, Perez has criticized her fellow lawmakers for not adhering to current disclosure regulations. According to a press release from her office, the STOCK Act mandates public reporting of trades within 45 days, identifying that 78 members of Congress failed to comply with this during the 117th Congress.

Perez’s disclosure history starts with her candidate financial disclosure on June 15, 2022, where she reported owning shares in Robinhood Markets valued between $1,001 and $15,000, along with capital gains from that investment for the prior year.

In an amended disclosure filed on February 21, 2023, after her election, Perez included investments in Amazon and Tesla, both valued at $1,001 to $15,000. Notably, these holdings were absent from her initial June 2022 report.

However, the amended filing also excluded the previously disclosed Robinhood stock. It’s unclear if or when she sold those shares, although her report of capital gains suggests that might be the case.

The February 2023 amendment cited capital gains linked to Tesla, but did not mention any gains or income from her Amazon investment.

On May 15, 2023, Perez submitted another report disclosing capital gains from Apple stock, ranging from $201 to $1,000 during 2022. However, Apple was not listed in any of her earlier disclosures. The precise value of her Apple holdings remains unclear.

The House Ethics Committee guidelines state that candidates generally need to report assets worth over $1,000 or those generating more than $200 in unearned income. These criteria raise questions about the absence of Amazon and Tesla from her original disclosures and the Apple stock not being reported until May 2023.

The case of her Robinhood stocks presents a different issue—it was included in the original report but missing from the subsequent amendment.

Moreover, the situation surrounding Amazon stock is complicated. The February amendment indicated ownership between $1,001 and $15,000, yet her later annual financial disclosures for 2023 and 2024 lacked any mention of Amazon shares.

Further complications arise as there is no record of a periodic transaction report (PTR) for the Amazon shares. Any notable purchase or sale exceeding $1,000 should typically be disclosed in a PTR, including those transactions that result in a loss. House Ethics guidance states that these reports should be filed soon after the transaction occurs.

This situation leaves room for uncertainty: either Perez sold the Amazon shares—which would determine the need for a PTR—or she kept them, which prompts the question of why they were absent from her later reports.

In her 2023 annual financial disclosure submitted on May 13, 2024, and again in her 2024 disclosure a year later, Amazon stock was not listed. Unlike her Tesla and Robinhood holdings, there were no capital gains or income indicating that the shares had been sold.

Throughout this time, Perez has remained firm in her stance against congressional trading. Alongside Rep. Zach Nunn (R-IA), she introduced legislation aimed at banning stock trading by Congress members, stopping automatic pay raises, and reinforcing lobbying restrictions post-office. Recently, Perez has reiterated her commitment to tackle corruption in Congress.

These disclosure concerns arise amid broader scrutiny of Perez’s financial practices. Reports from 2023 highlighted that she and her husband were over six months late on approximately $6,600 in property taxes related to their auto-repair business in Portland. Perez explained that the delay stemmed from a busy period managing their business and family, asserting that the taxes were eventually settled within the tax year.

According to Oregon Live, the county initially indicated the taxes remained unpaid, but they were settled shortly after Perez’s office was notified. A political committee later sent a tax guide to her office.

During this period, Perez mentioned paying more in taxes than Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, while advocating for a reformed tax system that ensured wealthier individuals paid a fairer share. However, it was suggested that her statement referred more to her tax rate than the total taxes paid.

Additionally, media reports have pointed out discrepancies in how Perez presents herself as a small business owner in Washington, even though her auto-repair shop is located in Portland, Oregon. There are marked differences in labor laws and employment standards between these states, and the shop was flagged for workplace safety violations in 2017 resulting in fines.

Archived records from the shop’s website suggested Perez primarily engaged in behind-the-scenes tasks, while her 2024 disclosure indicated she received about $28,000 as the company’s secretary.