Reply #4: Lawmakers' own portfolios had Iran investment ties [View All]

[maddezmom]

Published April 30 2007


COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Both sponsors of a bill that would pull Ohio's largest investment funds out of Iran hold stock in General Electric Co., whose business ties to the sanctioned nation have came under scrutiny.

State Reps. Shannon Jones and Josh Mandel, both freshman Republicans, reported owning GE stock on state financial disclosure forms last year - and both said Monday they still hold the shares. Neither said how much they own and didn't know about GE's operations in Iran until after they bought the stock.


"What you're calling about is the crux of the issue," said Mandel, an Iraq Marine veteran from Lyndhurst. "Until large institutional investors take leadership in this arena, there are not going to be very many opportunities for Joe Citizen to invest terror-free."

Former CIA director James Woolsey is scheduled to testify in favor of the Ohio bill Thursday.

more;http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/state/hc-30173916.apds.m0636.bc-ct--iranapr30,0,5868292.story?track=rss