I’ve always been firm on where I stand on members of Congress trading stocks, John: I think it's a disservice to the people they were elected to serve. Doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican, a Democrat, or neither — if your only goal in being elected to Congress is to get rich, that’s simply not the right reason. 

I’ve never owned a stock before. To learn more about it firsthand — and also partly as a joke — I invested in the “Pelosi Tracker”: a tracker which allows investors to copy stock trades made by Paul Pelosi, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s husband.

And what do you know? Business Insider picked up on the move, calling into question the ethics of Pelosi’s connections and the ethics of owning stocks while in Congress. I’ve got to say, that was pretty exciting to read.

Full disclosure: I’ve made 60% returns on my investment in the Pelosi stock tracker. But the tracker has reported more than $400 million in client assets following Pelosi's trades. And the fact that it’s the husband of someone who had privilege and access to non-public information… coincidence? I don’t think so. 

When I’m elected to serve Iowa as your next Senator, not only will I sell off the stocks, but I will wholeheartedly push for a ban on lawmakers trading stocks. We’re here to serve the people, not the pocketbooks of corporations who have been busy screwing over hard-working families.

Meanwhile, Joni Ernst already voted against the stock trading ban for members of Congress. 

That’s absurd. 

Joni Ernst promised to make folks squeal in Washington, but between her silence about Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes and opposing this ban, she’s turned out to be just another Senator who’s part of the swamp. It’s time to clean that up.

So, John, can you do me a big favor and read this article — and then once you read it, share it with five of your friends?

Voters have a right to question if politicians are serving themselves and their portfolios instead of the public when they see so many members of Congress profiting off the market. 

Together, we can climb out of this stock swamp and start delivering for Iowans. 

— J.D.