Today I received the enclosed letter from the Office of Government Ethics (OGE). I agree with OGE that “the success of our Government depends on maintaining the trust of the people we serve.” I take my ethics obligations very seriously and am committed to serving the American people.
I have made inadvertent errors in completing the divestitures required by my ethics agreement. My investments were complex and included hundreds of items. I self-reported each error, and worked diligently with my department’s ethics officials to make sure I avoided any conflicts of interest.
My ethics agreement allowed me to retain some private equity holdings. To maintain the public trust, I have directed that all of my equity holdings be sold and the proceeds placed in U.S. Treasury securities.
I look forward to continuing to serve the American people.
----- Click HERE to view the letter from the Office of Government Ethics
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce
