Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson said in an interview released Monday that his job is more complicated and difficult than he expected.
"There are more complexities here than in brain surgery," Carson told The New York Times last week. "Doing this job is going to be a very intricate process."
The Times notes that Carson's goal to make HUD self-sufficient has been beset with numerous hurdles and setbacks, including staffing mistakes, his own political missteps, and the president's lack of interest in the department's mission. Most recently Carson spurred criticism when the Times revealed that HUD officials spent $31,000 on a dining room set for Carson's office.
Carson's critics have also questioned the roles given to his son and daughter-in-law in the agency, which prompted the secretary to call for the HUD inspector general to investigate.
"In my role as HUD secretary, I try to be as inclusive as possible and talk with a wide variety of people because when it comes to increasing access to affordable housing, no rock should remain unturned," Carson said in a statement in January, according to CNN.
"From my very first day at HUD I have insisted that HUD operate in an open and ethical manner, in every way. To clear up any suspicion I am calling for the HUD inspector general to review this matter."
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