Alan Grayson profited from firm doing Iran oil deals while hitting Iran oil profiters

[RandySF]

Democratic Senate candidate Alan Grayson has bragged about cracking down on firms that profit from Iranian oil, but he quietly made as much as $1 million by investing in one of those very companies.

Grayson first bought between $350,001 and $700,000 of the Sinopec stock in 2013, according to his financial disclosures, which report investments in a range of figures. The disclosures show he reaped between $5,001 and $15,000 in dividends later that year.

The stock transactions came less than two months after the Orlando congressman boasted about how the House Foreign Affairs Committee, on May 22, 2013, adopted the language of eight of his amendments to strengthen the Nuclear Iran Prevention Act of 2013. Some of those amendments targeted financial firms; others zeroed in on oil companies.

“Iran’s primary good is oil, so Grayson’s final two amendments focused on raising the standard that countries must meet when seeking an exemption from U.S. sanctions for the importation of Iranian oil,” Grayson's congressional office said in a press release at the time, with the headline “Grayson Strengthens Iran Sanctions Effort.”

Grayson’s stock transactions, which he made personally, came to light during a POLITICO review of his investment portfolio, which has become the focus of recent ethics complaints over the one-time use of his last name in a hedge fund — a practice generally prohibited by congressional ethics rules.



http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/florida/2015/12/8585714/grayson-bashed-iran-oil-deals-profited-iran-oil-partners-stock

[merrily]

1. He cracked down on Iran firms to the potential DETRIMENT of his own investments?

Not a huge fan of Grayson's, though I do appreciate all the good amendments he's managed to get passed.

If he had protected or favored Iranian oil firms while investing in them, I would see the evil much more clearly. That would be like having started a war in Iraq while owning stock in Halliburton or Bechtel.

[djean111]

2. Still better than a guy who only switched to the Democratic Party so he could run against another

Republican, cozies up to DWS, and votes with the GOP. A lot. And thought the Benghazi committee was a swell idea.
I am soooo looking forward to the primary here in Florida!!!!! Whole family will be voting!

[trumad]

3. Good post

There's a weird fixation by some here with Grayson.

He ain't perfect---but he's a hell of a lot more Progressive than Blue Dog Murphy.

[djean111]

4. Here is my bottom line - I don't have to LIVE with Grayson - but I, and my family, have to

live with the results of a DINO's votes. So - no contest.

Actually, a couple of years ago I attended one of those "meet the local candidates" things, and I realized that I just do not care how long they have been married or how many kids they have, and anyone who talked about his religion got a pass from me, I don't want to hear about religion from a candidate. In fact, that concerns me.
That never stopped some politicians from cheating, and one of the most fucking sanctimonious candidates, for the school board, had a web site where he proclaimed his distaste for gay people and for segregation. And he was proud of that, along with his pictures of his family.