Two paragraphs of Carson's remarks appeared to be copied verbatim from a 2008 report from the philanthropy organization the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

A spokesman for the president-elect's transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Guardian, but told the Post that the mistake was in error and that a set of hyperlinks and footnotes meant to be included in the text "seems to have fallen off".

Asked about housing discrimination protection for gays and lesbians, Carson reprised language he had used during the campaign that won praise from conservatives and derision from LGBTQ advocates. In 2015, he issued an apology for failing to properly attribute parts of his 2012 book, "America the attractive", according to ABC News.

Carson is Trump's nominee to run HUD, an anti-poverty agency charged with federal affordable housing efforts. In fact, when President-elect Donald Trump first nominated him, it caused a divide among politicians and industry experts. After more prodding from Warren over potential White House conflicts, for example, Carson said that he would do what was right for Americans and that his decisions would be guided by "logic and common sense". "Housing development is an area in which President-elect Trump and his family have significant business interest", she continued.

Carson has contended that the president has the right to ignore Supreme Court rulings, such as the marriage equality ruling, and has also said businesses and even government employees should have the legal right to refuse service to people who offend their religious beliefs.

When pressed by Warren, the retired neurosurgeon added that "it will not be (his) intention to do anything to benefit any American".

Carson never answered Warren's simple yes or no question, which was very telling.

Democratic senators questioned how Carson's promise to cut hundreds of billions of dollars in annual spending squares with overseeing a department that serves millions of the poorest Americans.

Replied Warren: "The problem is that you can't assure us that HUD money, not of $10 varieties, but of multimillion-dollar varieties, won't end up in the president-elect's pockets".

The four former HUD secretaries sent a letter to U.S. Sen.

"I have actually in my life understood what housing insecurity was", Carson said in his opening statement, noting that his family moved around in his youth for want of quality housing.

Warren said that her question wasn't about Carson's good faith, but whether or not a single HUD dollar will be used to benefit President-elect Trump or his family.

"As the protectors of property rights, the over 6,000 member companies of the American Land Title Association are encouraged by the opportunities provided by change to explore new measures to promote homeownership", said Michelle Korsmo, ALTA's chief executive officer.