The Washington Post (12/10): Lawmakers with stock holdings vote in ways that juice their portfolios, data shows

Members of Congress should NOT buy or trade individual stocks: Add your name if you agree

Friends,

Early this year, several members of congress came under scrutiny for questionable stock trades after receiving closed-door briefings on the coronavirus pandemic.

We learned about those trades because of the STOCK Act—legislation I passed in back in 2012. The STOCK Act required members of congress to publicly report their financial transactions and made it illegal for members of congress or government officials to use insider information to make money on stocks.

But we need to do much more to root out corruption in our government—starting with banning members of congress from buying or trading individual stocks while in office.

It seems pretty clear to me: Buying or trading individual stocks (and the promise of financial gain that offers) creates a BLATANT conflict of interest for members of congress. That’s backed up by a new report out in The Washington Post, which found that “financial self-interest outweighs party, ideology and other factors in policy decisions.”

Let that sink in for a moment. Elected officials are voting—not based on the priorities or needs of their constituents—but based on what benefits their personal bottom line. 

I want to be clear: This isn’t about malicious intent. But even the appearance of impropriety undermines faith in our elected officials, and in our democracy.

That’s why I’m calling for a ban on members of congress from buying or trading individual stocks while in office. If you’re with me, click here to add your name.

This problem is bigger than any one scandal, or any one member of congress. It’s about a broken system that is in desperate need of reform. We can start here.

Thank you for standing with me on this,
Kirsten