Rep. Daniel Webster has become the latest member of Congress to violate a federal transparency and insider trading law, according to a NOTUS review of congressional financial records.
Webster (R-Florida) was more than 13 months late reporting the sale of stock he owned — well past a 45-day disclosure deadline set by the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012.
On Feb. 26, 2025, Webster sold between $15,000 and $50,000 worth of stock of Rexford Industrial Realty, a company that buys industrial real estate. He did not disclose the sale until June 1, 2026. Members of Congress are only required to report the values of their stock trades in broad ranges, rather than specific amounts.
This is the second time in three years that Webster has violated the STOCK Act’s disclosure provisions.
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“Congressman Webster held an investment portfolio with Merrill Lynch, and they independently chose to sell the stock,” said Adam Pakledinaz, a spokesperson for Webster. “After receiving documentation on the transaction from Merrill Lynch, Congressman Webster filed the financial disclosure.”
The House Ethics Committee’s STOCK Act guidance states that members of Congress are “personally responsible for incomplete and inaccurate information” related to their financial disclosure reports. The standard fine for a first-time STOCK Act violation is $200.
Pakledinaz did not answer other questions from NOTUS, including whether Webster has consulted the ethics committee or paid a fine.
According to Webster’s 2024 annual financial disclosure, the most recent one available, Webster reported owning between $100,001 and $250,000 in stock in Webster Air Conditioning and Heating, an Orlando, Florida-based company for which he serves as president. Webster filed an extension for his 2025 financial disclosure, which is now due in August.
Debate has raged on Capitol Hill over whether to restrict or ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks, with some lawmakers citing conflicts-of-interest concerns and habitual violations of the STOCK Act as prime reasons.
The Committee on House Administration voted in January to advance the Stop Insider Trading Act, which would in part prohibit lawmakers from buying new individual stocks but not require them to divest their current holdings. They would also have to give a notice within seven days before selling existing holdings.
During the past 12 months, more than two dozen federal lawmakers have reportedly violated the STOCK Act, including then-Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma and Sens. Katie Britt of Alabama, Susan Collins of Maine, John Hickenlooper of Colorado, Mike Rounds of South Dakota and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.
In the House, STOCK Act violators include Reps. Linda Sánchez of California, Julia Letlow of Louisiana, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Lisa McClain of Michigan, Pat Ryan of New York, Sheri Biggs of South Carolina, Donald Norcross of New Jersey, Rich McCormick of Georgia, Ritchie Torres of New York, Troy Nehls of Texas, Christian Menefee of Texas, Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania, Jonathan Jackson of Illinois, George Whitesides of California, Val Hoyle of Oregon, Austin Scott of Georgia, Shri Thanedar of Michigan, Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, Pramila Jayapal of Washington state, Kelly Morrison of Minnesota, Ed Case of Hawaii and Scott Franklin of Florida. Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma was also late, although his office denies it.
Other members — such as Reps. Cleo Fields of Louisiana, Dave Taylor of Ohio, Tim Moore of North Carolina and Byron Donalds of Florida — have reported making personal financial trades with notably political timing.
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