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On Thursday, January 28, trading-app broker-dealer Robinhood – a self-styled disrupter democratizing trading – suspended its users’ ability to buy Gamestop stock or options (along with other stocks). After playing a prominent role in the crowd-sourced short-squeeze on the meme stock, abruptly shutting the “buy” door prompted swift and fierce reactions. NY Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez tweeted that Robinhood’s freeze on Gamestop buys was “unacceptable” and called for Congressional hearings. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz quickly agreed (eliciting a snarky tweet-for-tat response). Other members of Congress piled on.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren took up the grievance, citing Robinhood’s recent regulatory history (more on that below) and asking for explanations of potential conflicts of interest – especially because Robinhood’s largest market maker is high-frequency trading firm Citadel Securities, whose