Pelosi Joins Growing Bipartisan Support for Ban on Stock Trading in Congress

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that she would support a ban on members of Congress trading stocks so long as the ban was “government-wide.” 

Pelosi’s public position on the issue has changed in recent months, shifting from direct opposition in December to apparent openness in January. Pelosi singled out the judiciary branch in her "government-wide" stipulation, saying, “The Supreme Court has no disclosure. It has no reporting of stock transactions. And it makes important decisions every day.” Pelosi is the latest top congressional leader to voice support for such a proposal, although an analysis from The Intercept (Left) suggested a petition from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) may have forced Pelosi's hand. Adding to a January trading ban proposal by Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), multiple outlets reported Tuesday that Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) were working on their own proposal. Furthermore, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) told Axios (Center) he planned to discuss the issue with Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). Pelosi confirmed that House members were also working on their own proposal. 

Coverage was widespread across the spectrum on Wednesday, with a particular focus on Pelosi’s announcement of support. Coverage on both sides noted how Pelosi's public position on the issue had shifted over time. Some coverage from the right directly criticized Pelosi; a New York Post (Lean Right) headline described a push to “ban Pelosi-style stock trading.”