Markwayne Mullin’s stock portfolio sparks conflict of interest concerns

Newsweek highlights the expertise of Veljko Fotak, associate professor of finance in the School of Management, in an article about trades made by Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin, who has been tapped by President Trump to replace Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security. Mullin has been encouraged to divest from certain stocks as they reflect a conflict of interest for his DHS role. Fotak said the trades are not necessarily proof of anything nefarious, but "the conflicts of interest are glaring and, of course, they are problematic,” he said. "It is not just the lack of conflicts of interest that matters—perceptions matter as well," he added. "When citizens start questioning the motives behind the decisions made by government officials, when doubt creeps in, trust in our institutions weakens, with the predictable negative consequences for both our democracy and our markets."