Rep. Lee and Democrats Vote to Hike Your Taxes While Stocks Soar
Pouring your coffee and hunting for receipts on Tax Day? While you count every penny, Rep. Susie Lee of Nevada and every House Democrat just voted to let the Trump tax cuts expire this December.
If these tax cuts expire, an average family making about $80,000 would face a $1,700 tax increase next year. That’s six to eight weeks’ worth of groceries gone from your budget.
The impact would hit families hard. Tens of millions would see their child tax credit cut in half to $1,000, and 90% of taxpayers would have their standard deduction slashed
“The Democrats always say they’re going to only soak the rich, but bring your umbrella because we’re all getting drenched,” warns a new radio ad run targeting swing districts held by Democrats, including Rep. Lee’s.
Fight Over Tax Cuts Heats Up
The Republican-controlled House passed a budget plan on April 10th that lays the groundwork for extending the 2017 tax cuts. The vote was extremely close at 216-214, showing the deep divisions even within the GOP on how to handle the nation’s finances.
The Senate approved its own Republican budget blueprint that aims to extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts while reducing government spending. The Senate plan calls for only about $4 billion in deficit reduction, while the House plan aims for at least $1.5 trillion in cuts.
House Speaker Mike Johnson worked through the night with Senate Majority Leader John Thune to win over conservative holdouts, assuring them they were:
“on track seeking as much as $1.5 trillion in cuts.”
Politicians’ Wealth Grows While Your Wallet Shrinks
What makes this tax vote even more troubling is that many politicians voting for your tax hike are getting richer in office.
Take Rep. Lee, who failed to properly disclose over 200 stock trades worth between $267,000 and $3.3 million, according to Business Insider investigations. These trades occurred between February 2020 and May 2021, involving companies like Williams-Sonoma, Carnival Corp, and Planet Fitness.
In 2022, additional reports found Lee violated the STOCK Act again with eight more unreported stock trades, prompting her then-opponent (now Clark County Commissioner) April Becker (R) to criticize her for a “blatant disregard for the law.”
The transactions were from a joint account between Lee and her then-husband Dan.
When questioned, her spokesperson claimed that:
“all of these trades were executed by a third party money manager with no input from the congresswoman.”
A House member’s salary is just $174,000 annually, yet some members have become multi-millionaires while serving. Lee is among the wealthiest Congressional members.
Who’s Targeting Lee and Why
The conservative group Unleash Prosperity Now is launching radio ads targeting ten swing districts with Democratic representatives, including Nevada’s 3rd district represented by Susie Lee.
The ads tell voters that “every House and Senate Democrat voted in recent weeks to allow virtually all the Trump 2017 tax cuts to expire on December 31.” This would raise taxes on families by $2,000-$3,000 next year, according to the group.
In 2020, Lee lobbied the Small Business Administration to amend rules allowing gaming businesses to benefit from the Paycheck Protection Program. Shortly after these changes, her husband’s company, Full House Resorts, received $5.6 million in PPP loans.
An ethics watchdog filed a complaint calling this a “straightforward violation” of conflict of interest rules, noting Lee “couldn’t be any more directly tied to the company through both her own and her husband’s interests.”
Why This Matters to Conservatives
This pattern of politicians enriching themselves while raising your taxes goes against everything limited-government conservatives believe in.
The Tax Foundation estimates that 62% of all tax filers would see their bills rise in 2026 without an extension of the Trump tax cuts. Small businesses would also face higher rates, hurting job creators in your community.
What the Other Side Says
Lee has defended her actions on PPP loans, saying she was “doing her job” and putting constituents first. She notes that 42,000 Nevada companies received assistance, supporting over 525,000 jobs.
On her campaign website, Lee claims she “supports a ban on members of Congress trading individual stocks” and insists she has “never used her position in Congress for her own personal gain.”
Democrats argue that the Trump tax cuts primarily benefited the wealthy. However, analyses show taxpayers in every income group would get some tax relief from extending the cuts, not just the rich.
What Happens Next
The battle over tax cuts will heat up in coming months. Conservative organizations are launching radio ads in swing districts to alert voters about Democrats’ tax hike votes.
Republicans need just a few seats to maintain control of the House and extend these tax cuts. Every vote will matter.
What You Can Do
- Call your representatives and demand they make the Trump tax cuts permanent.
- Support candidates who believe in limited government and lower taxes.
- Join local taxpayer advocacy groups fighting against tax increases.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
