Joseph Goffman, head of the the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's air office, violated ethics rules by failing to disclose over $25,000 in stock in Sherwin-Williams before helping draft a regulation that impacted the company.
Maxine Joselow reports for The Washington Post.
In short:
- Goffman did not disclose his stock holdings in Sherwin-Williams before influencing a related EPA rule.
- The EPA's Office of Inspector General criticized Goffman for not addressing potential conflicts of interest.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to investigate further, noting no evidence of willful misconduct.
Key quote:
“Goffman failed to assess whether specific parties or industries that were involved posed a potential financial conflict-of-interest.”
— EPA Office of Inspector General report
Why this matters:
Transparency and ethical conduct are crucial for trust in regulatory agencies, especially when rules directly impact companies in which officials hold financial interests.
Be sure to read: Peter Dykstra: Low crimes and misdemeanors
