President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson will step back from his leadership roles at his personal limited liability companies if he is confirmed, Politico reports.
This will include American Business Collaborative LLC, which is "pass-through entity for public speaking and book royalties," as Carson disclosed during his presidential bid, and BenCan LLC, which owns real estate property for rent. He'll also leave his nonprofits Carson Scholars Fund, Inc., and Academy of Achievement.
Carson will maintain non-management positions at each company, and will earn passive income.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat, questioned Carson's suitability for the role in an open letter to the nominee on Tuesday.
"Although you have many accomplishments in the medical field, there is relatively little in the public record that reveals how you would further HUD's mission to 'create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all'"
Warren included 35 questions for Carson, which she asked him to review before his confirmation hearing with the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, of which Warren is a member, on Thursday.
"HUD's housing and development programs impact the lives of millions of Americans," Warren concludes. "The agency deserves a strong, capable leader who believes in its mission and has the interest, ambition, and administrative ability to carry out that mission. I hope you will answer the questions in this letter so that the Senate — and the American people — can understand better how you plan to lead this agency."