Historically, September is the worst month for market returns – and the Alaska Democratic Party is expressing concern for Dan Sullivan, who is “among the more prolific stock traders in the Senate,” and was recently revealed to have “been rewarded for [RPM International’s] financial success” after the multibillion-dollar chemical company that represents Sullivan’s “biggest single financial holding”  raised costs on customers in response to Sullivan’s tariffs. 

Luckily for him, Dan Sullivan has one advantage Alaskans don’t: His stock trades have been suspiciously well-timed! The Alaska Current reports that “Dan Sullivan’s stock trades haven’t just helped triple his personal wealth while in office, but include several suspiciously timed trades.” Those trades include selling off shares in RPM after “closed-door briefings from federal health officials on COVID-19, before the full economic impact of the pandemic became clear to the public” and two new potential STOCK Act violations. 

“Will Dan Sullivan, one of the most prolific stock traders in the U.S. Senate, be able to overcome the September stock slump with some more suspiciously-timed trades?” said Alaska Democratic Party Chair Eric Croft. “We’re not going to wait to find out. We deserve a senator who is fighting for us, not their stock portfolio – Alaskans will remember this disqualifying behavior at the ballot box in November when they vote Dan Sullivan out.”

Sullivan has repeatedly backed the tariffs that are inflicting financial pain in Alaska, “which imports most of its consumer goods and food [… and the] price increases from the tariffs have become increasingly difficult to dismiss.” In response to Sen. Sullivan’s tariffs, RPM “relocated manufacturing […] and raised prices” on consumers and “[paid] out nearly $350 million in cash dividends and stock buybacks, a 7.3 percent increase over the prior year” for shareholders – including Senator Sullivan.