Kudlow slams senators who allegedly traded stock before pandemic

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow slammed U.S. senators who allegedly traded stock before a massive coronavirus outbreak in the United States during a tele-town hall hosted by Arizona Sen. Martha McSally (R) Thursday evening.  

“If it is proven that they’ve done something illegal or unethical, they will have to be significantly punished,” Kudlow said. “I don’t put up with any of that nonsense.”

Last month, financial disclosures allegedly revealed Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) sold hundreds of thousands of dollars in stocks within days of the Senate holding a briefing on Jan. 24 with administration officials on the coronavirus outbreak. Both Inhofe and Feinstein later said that they were not present at the briefing.

After facing multiple calls for his resignation — including from conservative commentator Tucker Carlson — Burr called for an ethics investigation into his own stock trading. 

Kudlow, a former Wall Street economist and Reagan staffer, said that if the senators partook in illicit trading, the they should be disciplined. 

“In our great system of free enterprise, you have to play by the rules; everybody has to play by the rules … we all have to play by the rules, and if not we’ll have to face the consequences,” he said. 

McSally agreed with the White House economist. 

“Larry, I couldn’t agree with you more. If these allegations are true, they need to be held accountable,” McSally said.

On Tuesday, it was reported Georgia Sen. David Perdue (R) purchased stock in a company that produces personal protective equipment as the coronavirus pandemic began to spread in the U.S. However, an official for Perdue said that he was not at the Jan. 24 briefing, and mentioned that the senator has not been involved in his personal finances since taking office. 

Updated 9:51 p.m.