Trump’s Fed pick defends record, regrets some past writings

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s pick for the Federal Reserve Board says he regrets past controversial articles he’s written about women and urged critics to focus on his economic record.

Stephen Moore says the articles were meant as humour columns, but “some weren’t funny, so I am apologetic.”

He calls the criticism a “smear campaign” and tells ABC: “Let’s make this about the economy.”

Moore is a well-known conservative commentator for more than two decades. He was an adviser to the Trump presidential campaign and helped design the 2017 tax cuts.

He says he stands by his economic positions but adds if his nomination became too much of a liability to GOP senators, “I would withdraw.”

Trump’s other Fed board pick, Herman Cain, withdrew over past allegations of sexual harassment and infidelity.