One vote doesn’t make Abe Hamadeh a model of integrity

Independent Newsmedia/Charlene Bisson

OPINION — In her letter, Kudos to Rep. Hamadeh for supporting stop insider trading act, Nikki Colletti praises Rep. Abe Hamadeh for “putting principle first” and demonstrating “real public service.”

Hamadeh deserves credit for voting to restrict congressional stock trading. So do the other 231 House members who voted for the bill. But one bipartisan vote hardly establishes exceptional integrity.

Colletti contrasts Hamadeh with politicians who “sell out to the highest bidder.” Yet Federal Election Commission records show his campaign received $269,960 from political committees, including corporate and special-interest PACs, from January 2025 through July 1, 2026.

Boeing’s PAC gave Hamadeh $5,500 in 2025. Hamadeh sits on the House Armed Services Committee, helping shape defense policy and authorization. The contribution is legal and proves no quid pro quo, but voters have every right to scrutinize money from industries with enormous stakes in congressional decisions.

Hamadeh’s campaign has also received money from CVS Health’s PAC. CVS owns Caremark, which recently settled an FTC case alleging anticompetitive practices that artificially inflated insulin list prices. When corporations with major interests in federal health policy help finance congressional campaigns, voters should pay attention.

Then there is judgment. Just two days before this vote, Hamadeh publicly opposed extraditing Andrew and Tristan Tate to Britain. The brothers face serious charges, including rape and sex-trafficking allegations. They deny wrongdoing and deserve due process. Hamadeh’s decision to intervene on their behalf is also relevant when assessing claims about his character and judgment.

Give Hamadeh credit for one good vote. Just don’t turn it into a character reference.

Public service is a record, not a press release.

This writer is using a pen name. Rep. Abe Hamadeh represents Congressional District 8, which includes parts of Glendale, Peoria, north Phoenix, Sun City, Sun City West and Surprise. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.