In Wyoming’s political landscape, a congressional candidate is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Reid Rasner, running as a Republican in the primary race for the state’s lone congressional seat, faces scrutiny following a disclosure of his dismissal from a finance position amid controversial circumstances.
This latest twist in Rasner’s ambitions was revealed through a federal filing indicating he was discharged from his role at LPL Financial LLC. This advisory and brokerage giant, a $22 billion firm, stated in its notice that Rasner was let go due to alleged participation in ‘unapproved outside business activity.’
The development surfaced on April 24, as documented in a disclosure published on the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website. While the notice piques significant interest, specific details surrounding the allegations are yet to be disclosed.
Rasner had been affiliated with LPL Financial since March 2019, marking a substantial period until his tenure ended abruptly this spring. As one among ten contenders aiming for the Republican nomination, Rasner’s political journey now faces additional challenges with this professional setback.
Rasner was registered with the firm in March 2019 up until this spring of this year, according to the SEC website.
But on May 11 of this year, Rasner’s registration changed to Omnivest Financial, an investment adviser firm in New York and Wyoming that he owns.
On Thursday afternoon, Rasner’s campaign sent Daily Mail a statement from Omnivest regarding the political hopeful’s apparent dismissal from LPL.
The statement sent by the campaign claimed that Rasner ‘was never an employee of LPL Financial’ and that ‘he was an independent contractor who owned 100% of his prior business.’
Republican candidate Reid Rasner is one of the 10 GOP hopefuls running for Wyoming’s only congressional district
Rasner was ‘discharged’ by adviser and brokerage firm LPL Financial LLC on April 24, per a disclosure on the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website
‘The transition Omnivest Financial made was a negotiated business transaction in which LPL purchased client relationships as Mr. Rasner launched his own registered investment advisor firm,’ the statement continued.
It called any suggestion that Rasner was terminated for misconduct ‘inaccurate, misleading, and unacceptable.’
Rasner’s campaign directed further questions to Omnivest, which he owns.
When the Daily Mail reached out to Omnivest, the firm promptly returned the same statement sent by Rasner’s campaign.
They did not immediately reply to a follow up question about why the disclosure notice was up on the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website.
Rasner was listed on the website as an investment adviser, who is defined as someone that is paid for providing advice about securities to clients.
He was also named as a previous broker who bought and sold stocks, bonds, mutual funds and other sorts of investments.
The SEC specified that disclosures could be customer complaints or arbitrations, regulatory actions, employment terminations, bankruptcy filings and civil or criminal proceedings.
Rasner’s campaign sent a statement from Omnivest, which said that suggestion that Rasner was terminated for misconduct ‘inaccurate, misleading, and unacceptable’
A disclosure brochure from June 15 said that Rasner was ‘100% owner’ of Omnivest, which was founded in 2019 and began providing advisory services this year.
The brochure noted that Rasner ‘has a non–financial affiliated business as a congressional candidate.’
‘Approximately 10% of his time is spent on these activities,’ the filing said.
A public profile on the Forbes Business Council previously said Rasner was passionate about ’empowering business leaders, fostering strategic partnerships, and advocating for American entrepreneurship.’
Rasner has maintained an active social media presence since the news about the disclosure notice broke.
On Thursday morning, he posted a video asking voters if they were for or against the right to carry a concealed handgun.
Rasner sported a Make America Great Again Hat and appeared to be using a miniature American flag as a microphone.
‘Alright, we’re packing,’ he told a man featured in the video, though the local said he actually did not have a firearm on him.
Rasner also urged locals to vote for him as he called to ‘Ban Sharia Law Now.’
The SEC’s website said that Rasner was registered with LPL Financial LLC from March 2019 until spring of this year
On his website, Rasner touted his campaign as fighting to ‘put Wyoming and America first, standing strong against globalist policies that undermine our workers, families, and industries.’
He has described himself as a ‘conservative political outsider’ whose roots in Wyoming stretch back four generations.
His campaign has received attention, particularly online. In late March, Rasner pushed for ‘no more fat kids’ as he spoke at a local football field.
Earlier this month, he posted a video of two donkeys that he captioned, ‘We found the only 2 Democrats in Wyoming.’
‘Behind me we have Barack and Biden,’ Rasner said. ‘A couple of the nicest asses I’ve met.’
Rasner has also pushed to ‘ban all transgender surgeries’ and encouraged mass deportations.
He previously gained attention last year when he claimed to be in conversations to buy TikTok, according to NBC News.
In 2024, Rasner unsuccessfully attempted to defeat incumbent Senator John Barrasso in the GOP’s Wyoming primary.
The Daily Mail has contacted LPL Financial LLC for comment.