Pledge From Brown Clears the Way for Confirmation Vote

WASHINGTON — Commerce Secretary-designate Ronald H. Brown agreed Wednesday not to discuss department business with any employee of his former law firm during his tenure, clearing the way for a Senate vote on his confirmation today.

As a result, Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) agreed to drop his objections to proceeding with the vote. “This new and broader recusal was the final issue, and it satisfies my concerns,” Lott said in a statement.

Earlier, the former Democratic Party chairman had agreed to only a one-year recusal from dealings with his former law firm, Patton, Boggs & Blow, one of Washington’s most formidable lobbying operations.

Brown’s road to confirmation has proved rockier than initially had been expected. Earlier, he had been forced to cancel a corporate-sponsored tribute in his honor after questions arose about the propriety of such an event being funded by the businesses that will be affected by Commerce Department policies.

Brown also agreed to terminate his relationship with PEBSCO, a company that administers public employee retirement funds. Initially, he had planned to keep his holdings in the firm, arguing that they were too insignificant to affect his judgment in matters relating to the company.