Read on Twitter
NEW from me: Marc Short, the Vice President's chief of staff, holds as much as $1.64 million in individual stocks for companies doing work related to the Trump administration's pandemic response.
His holdings could run afoul of conflict of interest laws. https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
His holdings could run afoul of conflict of interest laws. https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
Short holds substantial stock in medical/pharmaceutical/manufacturing companies like 3M, Abbott Labs, Gilead, Procter & Gamble, Medtronic, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Johnson & Johnson -- which have been involved in the Coronavirus Task Force https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
Short, the chief of staff to the VP, also has holdings in CVS, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Walmart and Roche -- which have been publicly touted by the White House for their partnerships with the White House on Coronavirus response https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
Marc Short declared some of his 100 listings of individual stocks across a range of economic sectors — to be potential conflicts of interest last year.
But he did not divest.
Here's a partial list of his stock holdings related to COVID response:
But he did not divest.
Here's a partial list of his stock holdings related to COVID response:
The law requires executive branch employees to resolve conflicts of interest before participating in any decision — or even deliberations — affecting particular companies or specific industries in which they are invested.
Violations carry potential civil and criminal penalties.
Violations carry potential civil and criminal penalties.
On at least two occasions, Vice President Pence's chief of staff Marc Short has publicly mentioned, on camera, companies in which he holds substantial amounts of stock https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
On March 18, Marc Short mentioned the Vice President's trip to a 3M manufacturing plant to illustrate a point about liability protections.
Records show that he holds between $65,002 and $150,000 worth of 3M stock https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
Records show that he holds between $65,002 and $150,000 worth of 3M stock https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
On March 20, Marc Short publicly hailed the work of Honeywell in producing respirator masks.
According to public disclosure records he holds between $50,001 and $100,000 worth of Honeywell stock. https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
According to public disclosure records he holds between $50,001 and $100,000 worth of Honeywell stock. https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
Short sought what is called Certificate of Divestiture -- a tax break designed to reduce the burden of complying with federal ethics laws.
He was denied the tax break -- and has not divested. https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
He was denied the tax break -- and has not divested. https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
But in order to even apply for a Certificate of Divestiture, you have to:
1) Acknowledge possible conflicts of interest
2) Promise to divest.
After being denied, the Vice President's chief of staff has not addressed the conflicts of interest. https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
1) Acknowledge possible conflicts of interest
2) Promise to divest.
After being denied, the Vice President's chief of staff has not addressed the conflicts of interest. https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
Not receiving the tax break is not a permissible reason under the law to avoid divesting from stock.
In fact, regulations require an employee requesting the tax break to commit in advance to divesting, whether or not OGE grants the request. https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
In fact, regulations require an employee requesting the tax break to commit in advance to divesting, whether or not OGE grants the request. https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
The ethics office rejected his application because some of his stocks are held in trusts that would be difficult to divest from.
Short has not divested from the stocks inside the trust or the stocks outside the trust. https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
Short has not divested from the stocks inside the trust or the stocks outside the trust. https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860927054/pence-chief-of-staff-owns-stocks-that-could-conflict-with-coronavirus-response
