Nation IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : Comptroller Sets Up Trust After Inquiry

Comptroller of the Currency Robert L. Clarke has agreed to put his holdings in a blind trust and take other steps to comply with conflict-of-interest laws, the federal Office of Government Ethics said. Ethics office director Stephen D. Potts cleared Clarke of any intentional violations after an examination of Clarke’s records. The comptroller received inaccurate advice and an incomplete review of his financial disclosure statements by the Treasury Department’s ethics officials, Potts said. Clarke, a Texas millionaire, has served as the nation’s top bank regulator since 1985. Questions about his personal finances are expected to be a topic of upcoming reconfirmation hearings in the Senate.