Director of Information Policy Studies of the Cato Institute
Position:
Pro to the question "Should insider trading by Congress be allowed?"
Reasoning:
"A bar on congressional-insider trading would most likely cause one of the following results:
1. It would be honored in the breach;
2. It would lead to endless (perhaps politically motivated) investigations of our representatives and their staffs; or
3. It would force many or most congressional employees to withdraw from investing as a prophylactic against 2.
None of these would be easy and fair, and compliance would deprive congressional staff of normal sources of income and of participation in investment that keeps their experience and thinking in line with other Americans. The law would not provide investors comfort."
Jim Harper, "Sunlight Is the Best Disinfectant," The Technology Liberation Front blog, Mar. 16, 2008
Experts
Individuals with JDs, PhDs, other relevant advanced degrees, and government officials with significant involvement in, or related to, insider trading issues. [Note: Experts definition varies by site]
Involvement and Affiliations:
Director of Information Policy Studies, Cato Institute
Member, Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Committee, Department of Homeland Security
Editor, Privacilla.org, a web-based think tank devoted exclusively to privacy
Webmaster, WashingtonWatch.com, an online federal spending resource
Education:
JD, University of California Hastings College of Law
BA, Political Science, University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB)
