Luna Cites 17,000% Pelosi Gain in Push to Ban Congress Stock Trades

A Florida congresswoman draws a sharp contrast between a soldier facing 50 years for prediction market bets and lawmakers facing a $200 fine for alleged insider trading.

Renewed calls to ban congressional stock trading are gaining momentum after Representative Anna Paulina Luna highlighted the 17,000% portfolio return of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, arguing the gains are statistically improbable without access to nonpublic information. The Florida Republican is leveraging the case to push for stricter rules governing lawmakers' financial activities.

"If members of Congress are caught insider trading, it’s a small, couple-hundred-dollar fine. If you’re caught doing it in the military... you could be facing up to 50 years in prison," Luna said in a post on X, contrasting Pelosi's success with the recent indictment of a Special Forces soldier.

The controversy centers on the starkly different penalties for profiting from nonpublic information. The Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act of 2012 carries a fine as low as $200 for disclosure violations, a penalty watchdog groups say is rarely enforced. In contrast, Master Sergeant Gannon Van Dyke faces a potential 50-year sentence for allegedly using classified knowledge of a military operation to profit on a prediction market, turning a $33,000 bet into over $400,000.

The debate raises critical questions about market fairness and the enforcement of insider trading rules for government officials. With bipartisan legislation to ban lawmaker stock trades gaining traction, the Van Dyke prosecution could act as a catalyst, forcing Congress to address the perceived double standard ahead of the midterm elections.

A Tale of Two Penalties

The legal disparity lies at the heart of the renewed scrutiny. Master Sergeant Gannon Van Dyke was indicted on charges including commodities and wire fraud for his bets on the prediction market Polymarket, which were allegedly tied to the successful capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Prosecutors argue he used nonpublic information from his involvement in the mission's planning. If convicted, he faces decades behind bars.

Conversely, the primary penalty for members of Congress who fail to properly disclose their stock trades under the 2012 STOCK Act is a $200 fine. Critics have long argued this is an insufficient deterrent. "Anyone who cannot see that members of Congress are insider trading is…," Luna posted on X, implying the activity is widespread and obvious. Her comments underscore a growing public perception that lawmakers operate under a different set of rules than ordinary citizens or military personnel.

Pelosi Portfolio Outpaces Buffett, Dow

The Pelosi household's financial success has become a focal point in the debate. According to reports, the family's portfolio has grown to nearly $280 million, achieving a cumulative return estimated at 17,000% since Nancy Pelosi entered Congress in 1987. This performance significantly outpaces the Dow Jones Industrial Average's approximate 2,300% gain over the same period and even exceeds the benchmarks set by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.

Scrutiny has often fallen on trades made by Paul Pelosi, the former Speaker's husband, particularly in technology stocks. The household reportedly made timely exits from positions in Nvidia, Apple, and Alphabet in early 2026 before re-entering the same names through long-dated options contracts ahead of relevant legislative action. Luna argues it is "statistically not possible" to achieve such returns without leveraging privileged information.

Bipartisan Pressure Mounts for Trading Ban

The call for reform is not isolated to one party. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has publicly advocated for an outright ban on congressional stock trading. Bipartisan legislation is building momentum that would compel lawmakers and their immediate families to divest from individual stocks within 180 days of the law taking effect.

The stark contrast presented by the Van Dyke case may accelerate this legislative push. As midterm campaigns begin, lawmakers in both chambers face increasing pressure to demonstrate they are addressing conflicts of interest and are not personally profiting from their public service. The outcome could reshape how Congress polices itself and whether the $200 penalty of the STOCK Act is replaced with more substantial deterrents.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.