Paul Liben
The data on this page comes from a financial disclosure filed by Paul Liben, who was picked to be: Speechwriter, Department of Energy in February, 2025. It is part of a collection of thousands of ethics documents ProPublica has been collecting from across the Trump administration.
Employment Assets
Officials are required to disclose assets associated with their employment, including salary, retirement accounts, stocks, intellectual property and awards or prizes. (Form 278e, Part 2)
| Description | Value | Income | Income Type | Endnote | Line No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State of New York, defined benefit plan (value not readily ascertainable) | $13,027 | Retirement Payments (annual) | 1 | ||
| Roth IRA | 2 | ||||
| Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund | $15,001 - $50,000 | None (or less than $201) | 2.1 | ||
| VANGUARD FEDERAL MONEY MARKET FUND | $15,001 - $50,000 | None (or less than $201) | 2.2 | ||
| State of New York 457(b) | 3 | ||||
| International Equity Fund | $1,001 - $15,000 | None (or less than $201) | 3.1 | ||
| Stable Income Fund | $100K - $250K | None (or less than $201) | 3.2 | ||
| Macquarie Small Cap Value Fund | $1,001 - $15,000 | None (or less than $201) | 3.3 | ||
| New York State DCB Equity Index Unitized Account | $100K - $250K | None (or less than $201) | 3.4 | ||
| T. Rowe Price US Small Cap Growth Equity Fund | $1,001 - $15,000 | None (or less than $201) | 3.5 | ||
| Vanguard Prime Cap Admiral Shares Fund | $15,001 - $50,000 | None (or less than $201) | 3.6 |
Employment Agreements
Officials are required to disclose agreements relating to other jobs, including what will happen with any small businesses they own during government service and any continued health care coverage, planned leaves of absence, severance or bonuses. (Form 278e, Part 3)
| Organization | Agreement | Endnote | Line No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| State of New York Deferred Compensation Plan | Continuing participation in deferred compensation plan; former employer no longer contributes. (1995-06-01) | 1 | |
| State of New York | I have been receiving yearly benefits from this pension since reaching the age of 55. I currently receive $13,027 per year and will continue to participate in this defined benefit plan. (1995-06-01) | 2 |
Other Assets and Income
Officials are required to disclose other assets and sources of investment income belonging to them, their spouse or their dependent children. These include annuities, bonds, cash, college savings plans, farms, precious metals, real estate, stocks, trusts and wills. (Form 278e, Part 6)
| Description | Value | Income | Income Type | Endnote | Line No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Bank #1 (Cash) | $100K - $250K | $5,001 - $15,000 | Interest | 1 | |
| U.S. Bank #2 (Cash) | $1,001 - $15,000 | None (or less than $201) | 2 | ||
| Sprott Gold Equity Fund Investor Class Shares (SGDLX) | $1,001 - $15,000 | $1,001 - $2,500 | Per filer, Sprott Gold Equity Fund absorbed all of Tocqueville Gold Fund in a merger. | 3 | |
| U.S. Bank #3 (Cash) | $1,001 - $15,000 | None (or less than $201) | 4 | ||
| U.S. Brokerage Account #1 | 5 | ||||
| iShares Silver Trust | None (or less than $1,001) | $201 - $1,000 | 5.1 | ||
| iShares Bitcoin | $1,001 - $15,000 | None (or less than $201) | 5.2 | ||
| Sprott Physical Silver Trust | $1,001 - $15,000 | $1,001 - $2,500 | 5.3 |
Liabilities
Officials are required to disclose their liabilities totaling more than $10,000, as well as any linked to their spouse or dependent children. These include mortgages, credit card debt and student loans. The interest rates and loan repayment terms are also required. (Form 278e, Part 8)
About the Data
Most political appointees and senior officials in the executive branch are required by law to file public financial disclosure reports. These are documents that detail their financial holdings, positions they hold outside government, their spouse’s holdings, their liabilities and their recent financial transactions (such as buying or selling stock) during a defined reporting period.
The most senior officials file their disclosures with an agency called the Office of Government Ethics, and others file them with a designated ethics official within their agency. The Ethics in Government Act allows members of the public and the press to request these documents.
We’re publishing this information to give the public an important glimpse into the financial ties of a powerful and often hidden cadre of presidential appointees within the federal bureaucracy.
The main document type included in the database is the OGE Form 278e, which appointees must file when they are nominated (for Senate-confirmed appointees) or when they enter government (all others), and then annually while in the position. Another common document included is the OGE Form 278-T, also known as a periodic transaction report, which all public filers must submit within 30 days of a transaction. We are also making other ethics documents available, such as ethics agreements, certificates of divestiture and other documents we have obtained under the Ethics in Government Act.
Join us on Wednesday, April 8 for a walkthrough of ProPublica's new database of financial disclosures from Trump appointees and any potential conflicts they reveal. Register here.
