Three Questions Rep. Rob Bresnahan Must Answer on Corruption Allegations During August Recess

With members of Congress back in their districts for August recess, Representative Rob Bresnahan should have to answer for his corrupt record in Washington.

End Citizens United, a leading national anti-corruption organization, is highlighting three questions that reporters should ask Rep. Bresnahan before he jets back to Washington. In Congress, he has been focused on cashing in corporate PAC money and pandering to corporate donors even as families in his district deal with a rapidly worsening cost of living crisis.

These questions get to the heart of the pay-to-play approach to governing and how his relationships with special interests have influenced his votes in Congress at the expense of his constituents.

You have quickly built a reputation as a top stock trader in Congress, buying and selling millions of dollars worth of stock in industries that are impacted by your votes. That includes selling up to $250,000 of Pennsylvania hospital bonds right before voting for massive health care cuts. How much money did you save yourself by dumping that investment and how do you expect voters to trust you after all this corruption?
Your stock trading activities have raised serious concerns and become a central issue in your reelection bid. You’ve touted your vote for the Stock Insider Trading Act (SITA), which you said enacts “reasonable restrictions” but does not actually require Members of Congress to cease all stock trading. To back up your vote on SITA, are you willing to get rid of your own stock portfolio and commit to making no more trades while in Congress?
As a freshman Member of Congress, you have already taken $313,000 in corporate PAC money. You even owned stock in every one of the companies that sent PAC money to your campaign after they benefited from H.R.1 last year. For example, First Energy enjoyed $500 million in tax breaks and then maxed out donations to your campaign. These same corporations keep raising costs on your constituents. How can you justify continuing to take their money and refusing to hold them accountable?

In April, Rep. Bresnahan earned a spot on End Citizens United’s 2026 Most Corrupt Politicians List. The list highlights elected officials whose actions consistently align with personal interests over those of their constituents.

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For 10 Years, End Citizens United (ECU) has been dedicated to combating the two biggest challenges facing our democracy: the corrosive impact of Big Money in politics and attempts to block access to the ballot box. Since its founding in 2015, ECU has had over 1.4 million donors with an average donation of just $14. The group has more than four million members nationwide and is one of the nation’s leading anti-corruption organizations.