Gottheimer’s greed

The stench of corruption in Washington is nothing new, but the sheer brazenness of elected officials cashing in on bloodshed has reached a grotesque crescendo.

At the center of this moral rot stands New Jersey Congressman Josh Gottheimer, a so-called “moderate” Democrat whose stock portfolio reads like a shopping list for Armageddon.

While American families struggle under the weight of inflation, healthcare costs, and a crumbling infrastructure, Gottheimer and more than a dozen of his congressional colleagues have been quietly—and lucratively—betting on war.

Not just any war, but the very conflict they helped fuel: Israel’s relentless bombardment of Gaza and its escalating standoff with Iran.

According to financial disclosures and trading data compiled by watchdog groups, Gottheimer was among the most aggressive traders of defense stocks in 2024, moving between $22 million and $113 million in shares of companies like RTX (formerly Raytheon), Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman—all of which supply Israel with the missiles, fighter jets, and drone technology currently raining hell on Gaza.

The timing? Suspiciously impeccable.

Just weeks before Israel launched its latest offensive, Gottheimer loaded up on defense contractor stocks. And when the bombs started falling, share prices soared. Lockheed Martin’s stock jumped 6% in the days following the escalation. RTX, which manufactures components for Israel’s Iron Dome, saw similar gains.

Gottheimer, of course, claims ignorance. In a 2022 CNBC interview, he shrugged off responsibility, insisting his trades were handled by a third-party firm. “I literally have no idea what they do,” he said, as if managing millions in war-industry investments is just another forgettable errand, like picking up dry cleaning.

But this is no clerical oversight—it’s a pattern.

Gottheimer’s financial opportunism is matched only by his unflinching militarism. He has:

Fought to fast-track arms shipments to Israel, backing H.R. 8369, a bill that would have stripped the State Department of its ability to block weapons transfers, even if they violated human rights laws.

Led the charge against the Iran nuclear deal, despite U.S. intelligence—including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard—repeatedly confirming Iran has no active nuclear weapons program.

Voted to freeze the salaries of officials who dared delay arms sales to Israel, effectively punishing dissent within the Biden administration.

This is not policymaking. This is war profiteering disguised as statesmanship.

The Intelligence They Chose to Ignore
Perhaps the most damning revelation is how Gottheimer and his ilk have willfully disregarded their own intelligence briefings.

In March 2024, DNI Tulsi Gabbard testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee, stating plainly: “Iran is not building a nuclear weapon.” The assessment was unambiguous, consistent with years of intelligence findings.

Yet Gottheimer and his colleagues—many of whom sit on national security committees—continued to amplify the myth of an imminent Iranian nuke, using it to justify billions in military aid to Israel and, conveniently, boost the stocks they held in companies supplying the very weapons being deployed.

The Unholy Marriage of Policy and Profit
This isn’t just about Gottheimer. It’s about a Congress that has become a subsidiary of the military-industrial complex.

Nancy Pelosi dumped over $1 million in Microsoft stock just before an FTC antitrust probe.

Tommy Tuberville, while blocking military promotions, held up to $50,000 in Lockheed Martin shares.

Rep. Pat Fallon grilled Navy officials about Boeing’s faulty Osprey helicopters while holding up to $250,000 in Boeing stock.

The system is rigged. They vote for war. They profit from war. And when the bombs drop, they cash in.

Progressives have railed against this corruption, but their long efforts have consistently fizzled after being undermined by their own leadership.

Lisa McCormick, a New Jersey progressive who challenged disgraced former US Senator Bob Menendez in the 2018 primary election, blasted the Democratic establishment and admonished voters for enabling this rot.

“You hired them, and you should fire them,” said McCormick. “There’s no excuse for tolerating this overt corruption.”

Yet even Bernie Sanders—who once promised a political revolution and once endorsed a primary challenger to Gottheimer —refused to back other insurgents in New Jersey that dared to take on corporate Democrats, leaving voters trapped in a cycle of militarism and insider trading.

There is a simple solution: Ban congressional stock trading. The ETHICS Act, which would bar lawmakers from trading individual stocks, has languished in Congress despite bipartisan support.

But don’t hold your breath.

Because for Josh Gottheimer and his colleagues, war isn’t a tragedy—it’s a business model. And as long as they can turn Palestinian and Iranian blood into Lockheed Martin dividends, they have no incentive to stop.

The millionaires in Congress work for billionaires and trillion-dollar corporations that finance their campaigns. If voters want to change things, they are going to have to think for themselves, band together, and rick losing an election because that’s the only way to save the world.