February 17, 2026
Mainstream media ignorance of financial knowledge and decision-making generates fake news
FISM host Mark Minnella: ‘Media outlets like CNN frame this as an ‘ethics outrage,’ but often stop short of acknowledging that financial self-interest can quietly shape legislative priorities long before a vote is cast’
PHILADELPHIA — A CNN report revealed that a bipartisan group of approximately nine U.S. senators reported stock transactions last year that involved companies in industries managed by the committees on which they hold office. The trades, as reported, are legal and under current rules, but have concerned watchdog organizations and the public.
According to a Newsmax article on the report, “The disclosures, drawn from financial filings compiled by watchdog group Capitol Trades and reviewed by CNN, show lawmakers bought and sold shares in businesses directly affected by legislation and regulatory oversight — a practice that critics say erodes public trust and highlights systemic ethical issues in Washington.”
“What this article still doesn’t confront is the core problem that lawmakers are allowed to sit at the intersection of power and profit, and disclosure alone does not neutralize incentive,” said Financial Issues (FISM) host Mark Minnella. “When a senator votes on policy that can move markets while holding positions in those same industries, the public has no way to know whether judgment is guided by principle or portfolio.
“The fact that these trades are legal under current rules only highlights how broken the rules are, not how ethical the behavior is. Media outlets like CNN frame this as an ‘ethics outrage,’ but often stop short of acknowledging that financial self-interest can quietly shape legislative priorities long before a vote is cast. Groups such as Project on Government Oversight are right to sound alarms, yet Congress continues to protect itself rather than the public trust. Until lawmakers are barred from trading individual stocks, or forced into blind trusts, Americans will reasonably assume that policy outcomes may be influenced by personal gain rather than the common good.”
Financial Issues’ (FISM) unique programming helps Christians find freedom and purpose in financial stewardship, empowering them to make biblically faithful choices in a world filled with competing voices. By tuning in, viewers and listeners will discover how to navigate their financial journey with clarity, integrity and a Kingdom-minded perspective.
Mark Minnella is the host of Financial Issues, which is broadcast live Monday through Friday at 9 – 10 a.m. ET/8 – 9 a.m. CT, on more than 500 television and radio outlets nationwide, streaming on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and other major platforms, as well as online at FinancialIssues.org.
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To schedule interviews with Mark Minnella, contact Hamilton Strategies, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096 ext. 105, or Richard Jefferson, rjefferson@hamiltonstrategies.com.
