Lawmakers Shouldn’t Be Stock Traders

As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi exits Democratic leadership after 20 years, there’s still work left to be done. One effort in particular could help restore public trust in Congress, eliminate a perennial source of perceived corruption — and perhaps remove a significant stain on the speaker’s own legacy.

By the very nature of their jobs, members of Congress have no business trading stocks. They may have access to classified or otherwise privileged information. They may know of pending legislation that could affect an industry’s bottom line. They may have oversight duties for the very companies they own shares of. Even if their portfolios simply fluctuate along with the market, there’s no escaping the appearance of a conflict when lawmakers moonlight as traders.