hr 415
HR 415 and the STOP Act
Restoring Trust in Congress
Public trust improves when clear rules govern financial conduct in office.
I support the goals of the STOCK Act and the current effort to strengthen enforcement through HR 415, often referred to as the STOP Act.
Members of Congress should operate under conflict of interest standards that match or exceed those required in the private sector.
What HR 415 Seeks to Do
The proposed STOP Act focuses on tightening compliance and enforcement around congressional stock trading rules.
Key areas of reform include:
- Stronger reporting requirements
- Clearer enforcement mechanisms
- Greater transparency around financial activity
- Improved accountability for violations
These steps represent meaningful progress, though additional reforms may be warranted over time.
Why This Matters to CA 32
California’s 32nd District includes workers in technology, entertainment, healthcare, and small business.
Many professionals in these fields operate under strict conflict of interest rules. Voters reasonably expect comparable standards from federal lawmakers.
When legislators trade individual stocks in industries affected by their policy decisions, public confidence can erode.
Trust functions as civic infrastructure. Maintaining it requires consistent standards and visible enforcement.
My Open Source Standard on Congressional Trading
Consistent with the Open Source Candidate framework, I commit to the following:
- No trading of individual stocks while in office
- Full public financial transparency
- Support for stronger federal restrictions on congressional trading
- Support for enforcement mechanisms with meaningful consequences
Public service should maintain clear separation from personal market advantage.
What This Campaign Tests
If voters respond positively to a zero money campaign:
- It will demonstrate that viable campaigns can operate without large fundraising totals
- It will show that voter engagement can occur outside traditional advertising models
- It will provide a working example of donor independent campaigning
If the model struggles to gain traction, the experiment still provides useful data about how financial expectations shape perceived viability.
Either outcome produces information that can inform future reform efforts.
Transparency Commitment
- All policy positions are public
- Strategic withdrawal criteria are public
- Legal exemption status is documented
- No hidden funding streams
- No PAC coordination
- No consultants shaping private messaging
This campaign operates with full public visibility.
The Open Source Candidate model reflects that same principle of simplicity and durability. It prioritizes structural integrity over campaign polish and keeps the focus on public accountability.
The Long Game
This campaign is designed as a working prototype.
Its purpose is to test whether ordinary citizens can challenge the donor dependent model while remaining fully transparent and compliant with election law.
Long term democratic resilience depends on expanding the range of viable campaign structures available to candidates and voters.
Doug Smith
Candidate for Congress
California’s 32nd District