Campaign Legal Center's virtual event, "Stock Trading Everywhere All at Once: Public Servants & Financial Conflicts," will be held on April 20, 2023 at 1 PM EST. Please join members of CLC's ethics team and other experts on the issue of ethics.
RSVP to receive a link to the event.
45 years ago, the Ethics in Government Act was enacted to put into federal law a requirement for all three branches of government to disclose stock ownership. While it was intended to increase the public's trust and confidence in their government, it has not yielded any significant success and there is still a glaring lack of trust.
The main impetus for this lack of trust are the perceived conflicts of interest that arise due to public officials in Congress, executive branch agencies and the courts continuing to trade stocks connected to their official duties.
Addressing this continued distrust and deciding the necessary action that must be taken to reassure the public that their elected officials are prioritizing public good over personal financial interest remans an active debate. The solutions vary, but it is clear that without a thorough response to this problematic trend, voters will question whether officials are acting to serve the people or their own wallets.
Speakers include Danielle Caputo of Campaign Legal Center alongside Gabe Lezra of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) as well as Wall Street Journal reporters Rebecca Ballhaus, Brody Mullins and Joe Palazzolo, who have been expertly covering the topic for years. CLC's Vice President, General Counsel, and Senior Director for Ethics Kedric Payne will serve as moderator.