New Jersey Republican Tom Kean Jr. says he’ll put his private investments in a blind trust, heading off criticism over a key issue throughout his midterm election campaign.
“I am committed to bringing the highest level of ethics and transparency to this office,” Kean stated in a written assertion this week. “I believe members of Congress owe their constituents full and timely reporting on their disclosures.”
Kean was elected to Congress in November, however his swearing-in ceremony — like that of all Home members – has been delayed by an ongoing struggle over which Republican will turn into speaker of the Home. As of mid-Wednesday afternoon, Home members had but to elect a speaker after a number of rounds of voting.
Through the 2022 midterm election, Kean criticized incumbent Democrat Tom Malinowski over undisclosed inventory trades that had been investigated by the U.S. Home Committee on Ethics. The investigation concluded that Malinowski’s dealer had made the trades with out his data, however Malinowski was at fault for not disclosing them. Malinowski then moved his investments right into a blind trust.
In debates through the campaign, Kean introduced up the inventory trades and Malinowski fought again.
“There is a difference here, between us. Mr. Kean is also actively trading in the stock market to this day. He also takes campaign contributions from the companies that he invests in,” Malinowski stated in an October debate.
Kean responded by bringing it again to the Home ethics investigation.
“This is not about stocks, this is about ethics,” Kean stated.
Kean is the second-wealthiest consultant in the incoming New Jersey congressional delegation, with $6.5 million in property, in accordance to an NJ.com report. The wealthiest consultant is Josh Gottheimer, with property price $18.2 million.
Kean says he’ll work with the Home ethics committee and his personal legal professionals to put his property in a blind trust.