The majority of Americans believe members of Congress should be banned from trading stocks while in office, according to a new poll.
Among a sample of Americans likely to vote in general elections, 76% believed lawmakers should not be allowed to trade stocks, according to a Trafalgar Group/Convention of States Action poll first reported by The Hill.
Just 5% of respondents approved of lawmakers trading stocks, and 19% had no opinion.
The results of the poll follow comments last month by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in which she addressed questions on the ethics of members of Congress trading stocks, prompted by a report cataloging lawmakers’ trading activity. Pelosi, a frequent trader who has profited significantly during her time in Congress, defended the practice.
“This is a free market and people,” Pelosi said. “We are a free market economy and we should be able to participate in that.”
However, the practice has draw… (Read more)
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