WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Top Biden administration officials had previously revealed links to large corporations, including technology giants Microsoft Corp., Google and Alphabet’s Facebook, financial disclosures from the White House program.
According to statements filed with the Government Ethics Office, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan served on a Microsoft advisory board from 2017 through May last year. Last year he was paid $ 45,000, according to his release, a copy of which was seen by Reuters.
Sullivan, who oversees an interagency response to the January cyberattack on Microsoft Exchange email software, has between $ 50,000 and $ 100,000 in shares in both Microsoft and Alphabet and owns between $ 15,000 and $ 50,000 in Facebook shares, he reveals. the information.
The White House said in a statement Sunday that officials like Sullivan are “experienced government leaders whose past private sector experience is part of a broad and diverse set of competencies they bring to government service.”
A White House official said Sullivan is not involved in decisions that directly affect Microsoft, that he has had no contact with the company and is consulting with NSC attorneys to continue to meet ethical requirements.
The official said Sullivan is releasing all of his stakes.
A Microsoft spokeswoman said “people from across the political spectrum offer ideas and advice on various national policy issues” to the company.
Press Secretary Jen Psaki received at least $ 5,000 as a communications consultant for Lyft Inc. The White House official said the consultation consisted of drafting a plan and it took about six months.
The disclosures were first reported by the Associated Press.
Key Trump administration officials had ties to Wall Street, the oil and gas industry, and the real estate sector.
Nandita Bose Reports; Edited by Daniel Wallis