Elizabeth Warren on Tuesday proposed banning members of Congress from owning individual stocks as part of what she described as the “most ambitious anti-corruption legislation” since Watergate.
“The problem is far bigger than Trump, and the way I see it this loss of faith this broad, and this profound, is more than a problem — it is a crisis, a crisis of faith,” the Massachusetts Democratic senator said at an event in Washington unveiling her legislation.
Warren’s bill would force members of Congress, judges, and high-ranking executive branch officials from owning individual stocks while in office. It would force the president and cabinet members to divest assets that could present conflicts of interest, something President Trump has not done.
The legislation would also go much further and ban members of Congress from lobbying after they left office, tighten existing lobbying restrictions, and require greater disclosure of influence peddling.
Congressional conflicts of interest have been subjected to added scrutiny thanks to the indictment of Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y., for insider trading.
In her speech, though, Warren also highlighted aspects of the Trump administration that she argued were egregious, saying that the administration has provided the “most nakedly corrupt leadership this nation has seen in our lifetimes.”
Loss of faith in government, Warren added, has made the public lose faith in democracy and increased the risk of authoritarianism.
