The Latest: Bank worried campaign would conflict with state

The Latest on U.S. Bank terminating Wisconsin state treasurer candidate Travis Hartwig (all times local):

1:30 p.m.

Continue Reading Below

The reasons U.S. Bank terminated Wisconsin state treasurer candidate Travis Hartwig are becoming clearer.

Hartwig, a Republican, said the bank fired him from his mutual fund administrator job in Milwaukee on July 2 because he wouldn't drop out of the treasurer race. He said the bank offered him no explanation about what conflicts running for that office would create.

Emails from the bank's human resources officials to Hartwig indicate the bank was pursing $10 million worth of business with the state and the bank was concerned his campaign for treasurer could create a conflict of interest.

A spokesman for the state Department of Administration didn't immediately reply to an email seeking details about the state's $10 million proposal.

___

Advertisement

12:15 p.m.

U.S. Bank officials are citing their conflict of interest policy in the case of a terminated Wisconsin state treasurer candidate.

Republican Travis Hartwig said U.S. Bank fired him from his mutual fund administrator job in Milwaukee on July 2 because he wouldn't drop out of the treasurer race. He says the bank offered him no explanation about what problems running for office would create.

U.S. Bank spokeswoman Cheryl Leamon said in an email to The Associated Press on Monday that the bank has a "strong conflict of interest policy that includes perceived conflicts of interest to ensure we are able to operate ethically and transparently."

She didn't elaborate and said the bank doesn't comment on employee issues to ensure their privacy.

___

9:15 a.m.

A Republican state treasurer candidate says he was fired because he wouldn't drop out of the race.

Travis Hartwig's campaign said in a news release Monday that U.S. Bank fired him from his job as a mutual fund administrator at the bank's downtown Milwaukee branch on July 2. The release said the bank told Hartwig in June to get out of the race or resign. He refused to do either.

Hartwig said in a telephone interview that company officials never explained why he couldn't run for treasurer.

He plans to file a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Fair Employment Practices Agency later this week.

Messages left for U.S. Bank officials weren't immediately returned Monday morning.

Source: Read Full Article