Two-thirds of Americans support banning lawmakers from trading stocks: poll

Sixty-seven percent of Americans are in support of banning lawmakers from trading stocks, according to a new poll from progressive firm Data for Progress. 

The poll, released on Tuesday, said that figure increased to 74 percent when respondents were given arguments in favor of and against a ban. 

After the arguments, 19 percent of those surveyed said they would oppose a proposed ban, according to the poll. 

Forty-three percent of respondents are in favor of a proposed bill that would ban lawmakers and their congressional staff members from buying and selling individual stocks, and 24 percent said they somewhat agree with the idea. 

Seventy-five percent of respondents who identified as Democrats said they strongly or somewhat support a ban on lawmaker stock trading, while 76 percent of independent/third party survey takers and 70 percent of Republican respondents agreed. 

The new poll comes after Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) last week asked the House Administration Committee to consider harsher penalties for members and senior staff who violate the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act (STOCK Act) and review potential violations by members, according to Business Insider. 

A recent investigation by the publication found that a dozen lawmakers and 182 of their congressional staff had violated the STOCK ACT, which requires timely disclosure of stock purchases in order to counteract insider trading.

Several lawmakers including Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) have introduced bills centered around lawmakers trading stocks, Business Insider noted. 

The poll surveyed 1,266 likely voters and was conducted Jan 12-15 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.