A top aide to Ben Carson, who is Donald Trump’s nominee to be the next housing secretary, was reportedly fired after his background check turned up writings in which he was critical of Trump.
According to the New York Times, Shermichael Singleton, who was hired at the Department of Housing and Urban Development since Jan. 23 and was working on putting together a cross-country tour for Carson, was terminated this week after a background check reportedly uncovered his public writings against the then-candidate for the Republican Party.
“My party in particular has allowed itself to be taken over by someone who claims to be a Republican but doesn’t represent any of our values, principles or traditions,” he wrote for The Hill in October 2016.
A source close to Singleton admitted that the writings had come up on the first check but that Singleton expressed remorse for them as well as his support for Trump. However, when the writings came up again on a second pass, Singleton was presented with the criticism and told that it was the reason that he had been fired.
After he was let go on Wednesday, Singleton would only say when reached by phone, “I can’t talk about that,” reports the Times.
An HUD spokesperson would only say of Singleton’s removal: “As of Feb. 15, 2017, he is no longer with the department.”