Conflicts of interest define the Trump administration

About one month after she took over as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Brenda Fitzgerald purchased stock in a tobacco company, Politico reported Tuesday.

As CDC director, Fitzgerald oversees the agency’s efforts to push Americans to stop smoking tobacco products, so the purchase raised questions about conflicts of interest.

  TPM

Probably won't matter all that much, even though it is "bad optics" as they say in Washington. Fact is, the tobacco industry makes up for what it loses in the US by pushing their product in other countries.

Documents obtained by Politico show that in August and September, Fitzgerald bought stock in several companies, including Japan Tobacco, a cigarette manufacturing company. She also purchased stock in pharmaceutical companies Merck & Co. and Bayer, and health insurance company Humana, Politico reported.

You get all the good insider information when you get into a good political job.

In a statement to Politico, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services acknowledged that Fitzgerald purchased “potentially conflicting” stocks but said that she has now sold them. Politico confirmed that Fitzgerald sold her stock in Japan Tobacco in October.

Then, we're good.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE 2/1:  Fitzgerald has resigned.