Three Congressional candidates in the Charlotte area have not filed federally required financial disclosure forms ahead of the November election.
Republican Pat Harrigan, who owns a business that manufactures and sells guns, has not filed his form. He is running against Democratic state Sen. Jeff Jackson in the state’s new 14th Congressional district, which includes half of Mecklenburg County and most of Gaston County.
All sitting House members must file disclosure forms, along with candidates who have raised more than $5,000. The deadline for candidates to file was May.
The forms are required to give the public insight into whether a politician’s personal holdings could influence their decisions on legislation. They also can shed light on whether officials have bought or sold stock around the time of them possibly receiving non-public information.
North Carolina Republican Sen. Richard Burr was investigated by the Justice Department last year for his decision to sell hundreds of thousands of dollars in stock after receiving briefings on the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020. Burr said he made his decision to sell based on reading and watching the news, such as CNBC’s reporting from Asia, where the pandemic started.
The Justice Department said last year it would not pursue insider trading charges against Burr, who had previously announced he wasn’t running for reelection.
Harrigan owns ZRODelta, which manufactures handguns and assault-style rifles in Burke County. He served with the Green Berets in Afghanistan. He has raised nearly $340,000, according to the most recent campaign finance report through June.
Harrigan couldn’t be reached for comment.
Jackson, an attorney and a member of the Army National Guard, has at least $315,000 in retirement accounts, as well as small investments in cryptocurrency.
Two years ago in the state’s U.S. race, Democrat Cal Cunningham defeated Republican Thom Tillis in the precincts that make up the 14th district by nearly 11 percentage points. Tillis won the race overall.
In the 9th District Congressional race, Democrat Scott Huffman has not filed his form. He is running against Republican incumbent Dan Bishop. That district — which includes part of Cabarrus County, as well as Rowan, Union, Anson and Stanly counties, is heavily conservative.
And in the 12th Congressional District, Republican Tyler Lee has also not filed. He is running against Democratic incumbent Alma Adams.
