The head of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention resigned Wednesday on the heels of a bombshell report that she had purchased stock in a tobacco company soon after taking her job, which oversees smoking-cessation programs.

Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, who is an ob-gyn, also had owned stock in other tobacco companies prior to assuming her post almost six months ago as one of the nation's top health officials.

A lengthy delay in Fitzgerald's divestment of her stock holdings, which included shares in health-care companies, was cited by the Trump administration Wednesday morning as the reason for her resignation.

News of her tobacco holdings was broken by Politico in a story Tuesday night, shortly before President Donald Trump, who nominated Fitzgerald for her job, gave his State of the Union address. Politico noted in a story two weeks ago that Fitzgerald had repeatedly been unable to testify before Congress because of financial conflicts that were still unresolved.

Fitzgerald's then-boss, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, resigned last September after Politico reported that Price had repeatedly used expensive private charter flights for official travel rather than traveling by commercial airlines.

In its story Tuesday night, Politico reported that Fitzgerald, the former commissioner of Georgia's Public Health Department, bought $1,001 to $15,000 worth of shares in Japan Tobacco after taking the CDC post in early July.

She also made similar purchases of shares in drug companies Merck & Co. and Bayer, as well as of big health insurer Humana, according to the article.

Politico noted that just a day after buying shares in Japan Tobacco, Fitzgerald toured the CDC's tobacco laboratory, "which researches how the chemicals in tobacco harm human health."

A CDC web page on smoking and tobacco use notes that smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the nation. It says smoking "harms nearly every organ of the body" and costs the U.S. billions of dollars of year in health costs.

Fitzgerald sold her shares of tobacco stock on Oct. 26, and all of her stock holdings worth more than $1,000 by Nov. 21, according to the article.

Fitzgerald also cited tobacco cessation as a top priority while serving in her Georgia post. Politico said that prior to accepting the CDC position, Fitzgerald "owned stock in five other tobacco companies: Reynolds American, British American Tobacco, Imperial Brands, Philip Morris International, and Altria Group Inc. — all legal under Georgia's ethics rules."

The article quoted Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, who said Fitzgerald's conduct was "stunning."

"It sends two messages, both of which are deeply disturbing," Myers said.

"First, it undermines the credibility of a public official when they argue that tobacco is the No. 1 preventable cause of disease. Second, and perhaps even worse, it indicates a public official is willing to put their personal profit above the ethics of investing in a company whose products cause so much harm."

In a statement, a Department of Health and Human Services spokesman said new HHS chief Alex Azar accepted her resignation.

"Dr. Fitzgerald owns certain complex financial interests that have imposed a broad recusal limiting her ability to complete all of her duties as the CDC Director," the spokesman said.

"Due to the nature of these financial interests, Dr. Fitzgerald could not divest from them in a definitive time period. After advising Secretary Azar of both the status of the financial interests and the scope of her recusal, Dr. Fitzgerald tendered, and the Secretary accepted, her resignation. The Secretary thanks Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald for her service and wishes her the best in all her endeavors."

Dr. Anne Schucat, who had been CDC's principal deputy director, was named acting director of the agency after Fitzgerald resigned.</s>Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, the Trump administration's head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has announced her resignation after a report that she had purchased stock in a tobacco company after taking her job.

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services sent out this new release that includes a statement regarding the matter:

"This morning (Wednesday) Secretary Azar accepted Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald's resignation as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Fitzgerald owns a certain complex financial interests that have imposed a broad recusal limiting her ability to complete all of her duties as the CDC Director. Due to the nature of these financial interests, Dr. Fitzgerald could not divest from them in a definitive time period.

After advising Secretary Azar of both the status of the financial interests and the scope of her recusal, Dr. Fitzgerald tendered, and the Secretary accepted, her resignation. The Secretary thanks Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald for her service and wishes her the best in all her endeavors."</s>WASHINGTON (AP) — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief Brenda Fitzgerald resigns due to investment issues, gov’t says.</s>Brenda Fitzgerald, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bought tobacco stock after she took over the agency’s top job, according to documents obtained by Politico. Yes, the Trump administration’s top public health official bought shares in a tobacco company , despite the fact that her job is to reduce tobacco use.

As a medical doctor and former Georgia Department of Public Health commissioner, Fitzgerald has worked to end tobacco use, as it is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Despite that, per Politico, Fitzgerald bought shares in Japan Tobacco, one of the largest tobacco companies in the world, after she took over at the CDC.

Fitzgerald has resigned her post in light of the report.

The day after the purchase, Fitzgerald “toured the CDC’s Tobacco Laboratory, which researches how the chemicals in tobacco harm human health,” according to Politico. This isn’t unusual for Fitzgerald, apparently, as she owned stock in five other tobacco companies before taking the position at the CDC.

Last month, Sen. Patty Murray said Fitzgerald’s ability to do her job was hindered by “ongoing conflicts of interest.” At any rate, with Fitzgerald out, those conflicts of interest have been resolved.ML</s>Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, resigned her position on Wednesday. The move comes one day after Politico reported Fitzgerald's purchase of tobacco stock after she assumed the position of the nation's public health agency.

Such an investment is an obvious conflict with the mission of the CDC considering cigarette smoking will result in the deaths of nearly half a million Americans this year. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

The CDC's slogan is "24/7: Saving Lives, Protecting People." But Fitzgerald bet against that mission just one month into her tenure at the agency when she purchased stock in a tobacco company -- one of the very drugs she is supposed to be leading the crusade against.

The news of her stock purchases was first reported Tuesday. According to that report, Fitzgerald "bought tens of thousands of dollars in new stock holdings in at least a dozen companies," including Japan Tobacco, one of the largest tobacco companies in the world. It sells four brands in the US: Export "A," LD, Wave and Wings.

The day after the purchase, Fitzgerald "toured the CDC's Tobacco Laboratory, which researches how the chemicals in tobacco harm human health," according to Politico.

In November, Fitzgerald highlighted CDC data that illustrated the extent of tobacco use among US adults stating, "Too many Americans are harmed by cigarette smoking, which is the nation's leading preventable cause of death and disease." She then vowed to "continue to use proven strategies to help smokers quit and to prevent children from using any tobacco products."

Concerns about potential conflicts related to Fitzgerald's financial interests were already under the micropscope.

Fitzgerald also invested in pharmaceutical companies Merck and Bayer, as well as health insurance company Humana, according to Politico.

Last month, Sen. Patty Murray said Fitzgerald's ability to do her job was hindered by "ongoing conflicts of interest." "On at least three occasions since Director Fitzgerald's appointment in July, CDC has sent Fitzgerald's deputies to testify at Congressional hearings, alongside the heads of other government agencies, that explored the federal response to the opioid crisis," Murray said in December.

"Dr. Fitzgerald owns certain complex financial interests that have imposed a broad recusal limiting her ability to complete all of her duties as the CDC Director. Due to the nature of these financial interests, Dr. Fitzgerald could not divest from them in a definitive time period," said a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services Wednesday.

Fitzgerald, an obstetrician gynecologist from Georgia, was selected for the position in July by then HHS Secretary Dr. Tom Price. Price was forced to resign in September amid a scandal involving his use of private planes.

Fitzgerald's resignation was accepted Wednesday morning by current HHS Secretary Alex Azur who assumed that role just last week.</s>Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald has resigned as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday.

The news comes after a report that she bought shares in a tobacco company one month after taking over an agency tasked with working to stop people from smoking, according to CNN. Politico had the initial report on the stock purchase.

"Dr. Fitzgerald owns certain complex financial interests that have imposed a broad recusal limiting her ability to complete all of her duties as the CDC Director," the HHS statement reads. "Due to the nature of these financial interests, Dr. Fitzgerald could not divest from them in a definitive time period."</s>Brenda Fitzgerald, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is stepping down. This follows reports that she invested in tobacco company stocks after she began leading the agency.</s>(CNN) Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, resigned Wednesday, a day after Politico reported Fitzgerald's purchase of tobacco stock after she took the position at the nation's top public health agency.

Such an investment is obviously at odds with the mission of the CDC, considering cigarette smoking will result in the deaths of nearly half a million Americans this year. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

The CDC's slogan is "24/7: Saving Lives, Protecting People." But Fitzgerald bet against that mission just one month into her tenure at the agency, when she purchased stock in a tobacco company -- one of the very drugs she is supposed to be leading the crusade against.

The news of her stock purchases was first reported Tuesday. According to that report, Fitzgerald "bought tens of thousands of dollars in new stock holdings in at least a dozen companies," including Japan Tobacco , one of the largest tobacco companies in the world. It sells four brands in the US : Export "A," LD, Wave and Wings.

The day after the purchase, Fitzgerald "toured the CDC's Tobacco Laboratory, which researches how the chemicals in tobacco harm human health," according to Politico.

In a statement in November, Fitzgerald highlighted CDC data that illustrated the extent of tobacco use among US adults, stating, "Too many Americans are harmed by cigarette smoking, which is the nation's leading preventable cause of death and disease." She then vowed to "continue to use proven strategies to help smokers quit and to prevent children from using any tobacco products."

Concerns about potential conflicts related to Fitzgerald's financial interests were already under the microscope.

"Like all Presidential Personnel, Dr. Fitzgerald's financial holdings were reviewed by the HHS Ethics Office, and she was instructed to divest of certain holdings that may pose a conflict of interest," the latter agency said. "During the divestiture process, her financial account manager purchased some potentially conflicting stock holdings. These additional purchases did not change the scope of Dr. Fitzgerald's recusal obligations, and Dr. Fitzgerald has since also divested of these newly acquired potentially conflicting publicly traded stock holdings."

"On at least three occasions since Director Fitzgerald's appointment in July, CDC has sent Fitzgerald's deputies to testify at Congressional hearings, alongside the heads of other government agencies, that explored the federal response to the opioid crisis," said Murray, D-Washington.

"Dr. Fitzgerald owns certain complex financial interests that have imposed a broad recusal limiting her ability to complete all of her duties as the CDC Director. Due to the nature of these financial interests, Dr. Fitzgerald could not divest from them in a definitive time period," a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday.</s>The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — a leader in smoking-cessation efforts — bought stock shares in a large tobacco company just one month after taking office, a bombshell POLITICO report reveals.

Director Brenda Fitzgerald, a Trump administration appointee, already owned stock in five other tobacco companies when she assumed leadership of the CDC. Documents revealed Fitzgerald had holdings in Reynolds American, British American Tobacco, Imperial Brands, Philip Morris International, and Altria Group.

Before the CDC, Fitzgerald worked as an obstetrician-gynecologist for three decades and served as Georgia Department of Public Health commissioner from 2011 to 2017. She listed tobacco cessation as one of her primary public health priorities as commissioner in Georgia.

"You don't buy tobacco stocks when you are the head of the CDC. It's ridiculous, it gives a terrible appearance," Richard Painter, George W. Bush's chief ethics lawyer told POLITICO.

Along with her Japan Tobacco purchases, documents confirm Fitzgerald also bought thousands of dollars of shares in several health-care companies, including Merck & Co, Bayer and Humana, which the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services deemed a conflict of interest, POLITICO reported.

"Like all presidential personnel, Dr. Fitzgerald's financial holdings were reviewed by the HHS Ethics Office, and she was instructed to divest of certain holdings that may pose a conflict of interest. During the divestiture process, her financial account manager purchased some potentially conflicting stock holdings. These additional purchases did not change the scope of Dr. Fitzgerald's recusal obligations, and Dr. Fitzgerald has since also divested of these newly acquired potentially conflicting publicly traded stock holdings," an HHS spokesperson told POLITICO.

Records obtained by POLITCO confirm Fitzgerald sold tobacco on Oct. 26 and all stock holdings above $1,000 by Nov. 21. It took her four months into her tenure as CDC Director to sell her shares.

Read more about CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald from POLITICO.</s>Brenda Fitzgerald, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has resigned following a report that she traded tobacco stock while leading the agency tasked with reducing use of tobacco. The Department of Health and Human Services accepted Fitzgerald's resignation.

"This morning Secretary Azar accepted Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald's resignation as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," the Health and Human Services department said in a statement.

"Dr. Fitzgerald owns certain complex financial interests that have imposed a broad recusal limiting her ability to complete all of her duties as the CDC Director," the statement said. "Due to the nature of these financial interests, Dr. Fitzgerald could not divest from them in a definitive time period. After advising Secretary Azar of both the status of the financial interests and the scope of her recusal, Dr. Fitzgerald tendered, and the Secretary accepted, her resignation. The Secretary thanks Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald for her service and wishes her the best in all her endeavors."

This is a developing story and will be updated.
Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald resigns as head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention following a report that she purchased stock in food, health insurance, and tobacco companies shortly after taking up her federal government position.