During his campaign, this spring, U.S. Senate candidate Jason Lewis has been running as a populist, who has been critical of the Government response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Lewis points out that from the start of the coronavirus pandemic, “Minnesotans have been told to sacrifice their own needs for the betterment of all. Unfortunately, Senator Tina Smith, like so many ‘leaders,’ hasn’t been following her own advice—attempting to personally profit amid the economic turmoil surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic.”
He released the following statement addressing the need for accountability from Minnesota Senator Tina Smith for selling stocks amid the coronavirus pandemic. Financial disclosures demonstrate that Senator Smith and her husband sold up to $1,000,000 in stock holdings at the cusp of the stock market crash due to pandemic concerns.
Based on her financial disclosures, Lewis notes that “as the stock market started to crash in reaction to the Coronavirus pandemic, Smith’s first thought was how to protect her own financial interests.” Tina Smith “dumped between $500,000 and $1,000,000 worth of personal stock holdings.” Shortly following this period, Senator Smith voted twice to block the much-needed coronavirus economic relief bill.
Lewis contends that this sort of action raises serious questions about sensitive financial information Tina Smith may have received in her role as Senator which “precipitated her decision to sell so many of her holdings. Voters deserve to know what Tina Smith knew, and when she knew it.”
“It is unbelievable,” says Jason Lewis, “that a sitting Senator would put her own financial well-being above those she is supposed to serve. Minnesotans put their lives on hold and hunkered down in order to save lives knowing their sacrifice would come with financial difficulties. The extended lockdown has cost them even more than they thought. But not Senator Smith—she was busy looking out for her own financial interests.”
“Tina Smith should be ashamed of herself in the way she’s mishandled the COVID crisis—from holding up relief for partisan purposes to how her role as Senator may have factored into this stock sale. Minnesotans deserve better from our elected officials.”
