As Perdue faces accusations of financial misconduct, Ossoff calls on him to follow “The Isakson Standard” by placing stocks in blind trust
While downplaying the pandemic, Perdue bought stocks in a manufacturer of PPE and a coronavirus vaccine maker and sold hotel and casino shares
Ossoff commits to following “The Isakson Standard” upon entering office
Atlanta, Ga. — Today, investigative journalist, media executive, and Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Jon Ossoff called on his opponent, Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.), to adhere to “The Isakson Standard” of leadership and place his stocks into a qualified blind trust.
Perdue continues to face accusations of insider trading and financial misconduct after he was caught aggressively trading stocks to line his own pockets in the early weeks and months of the COVID-19 pandemic, while in public he downplayed the threat posed by the virus.
As the U.S. Senate was briefed on the dangerous pandemic in January and February, Perdue publicly minimized the risk of the coronavirus crisis to Georgians. But privately, he was buying shares in a manufacturer of PPE and a Coronavirus vaccine maker while selling stock in casinos and hotels.
Former U.S. Senator from Georgia Johnny Isakson served as the Chairman of the United States Senate Select Committee on Ethics from 2015-2019. Isakson championed requiring that elected officials place their financial assets into blind trusts, as he did himself. Senators are privy to information that can move the stock market and the STOCK Actmakes it illegal for members of Congress to trade on that information for personal gain.
Isakson authored detailed guidelines that provide a clear roadmap for Senators.
Isakson’s guidelines note that, “While there are a number of ways to eliminate conflicts of interests and the appearance of them, the most comprehensive approach is to put financial assets in a Qualified Blind Trust (QBT).”
Perdue has not placed his stocks into Qualified Blind Trust as Isakson recommends.
Today, Ossoff committed to follow “The Isakson Standard” and place his stock portfolio into blind trust the day he is sworn in to the United States Senate next January. And Ossoff also announced he will champion legislation to require the same to be mandated for all federal elected officials as part of his broader anti-corruption reform agenda.
“After the Senate was briefed on the scope of the pandemic, Senator Perdue quietly traded medical and hospitality stocks to line his pockets while in public he downplayed the risk posed by the virus. Lucky for Senator Perdue, we both have guidance from Senator Isakson on exactly how to reassure Georgians that their elected representatives aren’t profiting from their positions,” said Ossoff. “Georgians want leaders who serve the public interest, not narrow private or self interests. The people of Georgia can always count on me to be transparent, ethical, and work for them, and no one else. Today I’m calling on Senator Perdue to promise the same.”
An investigative journalist and media executive, Ossoff has spent his career exposing corruption and the abuse of power around the world, and he will take that fight to the halls of the United States Senate.
The people of Georgia can count on Ossoff, who is rejecting contributions from corporate PACs and Congressional lobbyists, to work for them and the people’s interests, not narrow private interests.
# # #
