Rashida Tlaib and Matt Gaetz are among a 'motley bipartisan crew' pushing for a congressional stock trading ban
Twenty-seven members of the House of Representatives signed a letter dated Monday urging both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to bring to the House floor legislation forbidding members of Congress from trading or owning stocks, Axios reports.
The letter's signatories have been described by Politico as a "motley bipartisan crew," in that they're lawmakers from all sides of the ideological spectrum; very rarely might you see the name of progressive Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) signed next to that of the inflammatory Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).
Lawmakers had also prior to this expressed interest in limiting congressional trade activity, notes Axios, though "Pelosi has been decidedly unenthusiastic about moving here," Politico adds.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Even with her reluctance, however, the speaker may have "cracked the door" to some sort of rules change after her comments last week: "To give a blanket attitude of, 'We can't do this and we can't do that because we can't be trusted,' I just don't buy into that. But if the members want to do that, I'm okay with it."
Of course, more than 27 members would need to support any such legislation for it to pass, but this group is decidedly in favor. "While there are many difficult questions facing Congress, this is an easy one," their letter reads. "Members of Congress should not be allowed to own or trade individual stocks. Let's get this done."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
5 hilariously spirited cartoons about the spirit of Christmas
Cartoons Artists take on excuses, pardons, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Inside the house of Assad
The Explainer Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez, ruled Syria for more than half a century but how did one family achieve and maintain power?
By The Week UK Published
-
Sudoku medium: December 22, 2024
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
'All too often, we get caught up in tunnel vision'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Putin says Russia isn't weakened by Syria setback
Speed Read Russia had been one of the key backers of Syria's ousted Assad regime
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Georgia DA Fani Willis removed from Trump case
Speed Read Willis had been prosecuting the election interference case against the president-elect
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Democrats blame 'President Musk' for looming shutdown
Speed Read The House of Representatives rejected a spending package that would've funding the government into 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump, Musk sink spending bill, teeing up shutdown
Speed Read House Republicans abandoned the bill at the behest of the two men
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Congress reaches spending deal to avert shutdown
Speed Read The bill would fund the government through March 14, 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Luigi Mangione charged with murder, terrorism
Speed Read Magnione is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ex-FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about Bidens
Speed Read Alexander Smirnov claimed that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter were involved in a bribery scheme with Ukrainian energy company Burisma
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published