“A thief is more moral than a congressman; when a thief steals your money, he doesn’t demand you thank him” is a quotation credited to American economist Walter E. Williams (1936-2020). Williams told this to ABC News reporter John Stossel for the program Greed (1998).
   
John Stossel wrote in the syndicated column “What Congress did is disgusting” that was printed in the Carlsbad (NM) Current-Argus on October 26, 2005:
     
“Years ago, interviewing economist Walter Williams for a show ABC News called ‘Greed,’ I was perplexed when Williams said, ‘a thief is more moral than a congressman; when a thief steals your money, he doesn’t demand you thank him.’ That was silly hyperbole, I thought, but watching Congress spend, I see that I was naive and Williams was right.”
   
     
Wikipedia: Walter E. Williams
Walter Edward Williams (March 31, 1936 – December 1, 2020) was an American economist, commentator, and academic. He was the John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University, as well as a syndicated columnist and author known for his classical liberal and libertarian views. His writings frequently appeared on Townhall.com, WND, and Jewish World Review.
       
Chicago (IL) Tribune
“Greed with John Stossel”: Surprise, surprise. ABC...
Steve Johnson, Tribune Television Critic
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
February 3, 1998
“Greed with John Stossel”: Surprise, surprise. ABC correspondent Stossel, with a well-earned reputation for defending big business, here makes the pro-greed case (9 p.m., WLS-Ch. 7).
 
Newspapers.com
26 October 2005, Carlsbad (NM) Current-Argus, “What Congress did is disgusting” by John Stossel, pg. 4A, col. 2:
Years ago, interviewing economist Walter Williams for a show ABC News called “Greed,” I was perplexed when Williams said, “a thief is more moral than a congressman; when a thief steals your money, he doesn’t demand you thank him.” That was silly hyperbole, I thought, but watching Congress spend, I see that I was naive and Williams was right.
     
Google Books
Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity:
Get Out the Shovel—Why Everything You Know Is Wrong
By John Stossel
New York, NY: Hyperion
2006
Pg. ?:
Years ago, interviewing economist Walter Williams for an ABC New program called “Greed,” I was perplexed when Williams said “a thief is more moral than a congressman; when a thief steals your money, he doesn’t demand you thank him.
     
Twitter
Marik Singh
@mariksingh
A thief is more moral than a congressman; when a thief steals your money, he doesn’t demand you thank him. ~ Walter Williams
5:40 AM · Sep 15, 2009·Twitter Web Client
 
YouTube
Greed (ABC 20/20 - 1998) (with English subtitles)
Jul 10, 2012
Libertarian Novice
 
Twitter
Sal the Agorist
@SallyMayweather
(The below message is shown on an image, with a photo of Walter E. Williams.—ed.)
“A thief is more moral than a congressman; when a thief steals your money, he doesn’t demand you thank him.” - Walter E. Williams
1:06 PM · Dec 2, 2020·Twitter for iPad