May 03, 2018
By Dino Grandoni –
Another high-level aide to Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt is leaving the agency this week, as federal investigators continue to scrutinize the administrator’s spending and management decisions.
Liz Bowman, the agency’s top spokesman, is stepping down to become communications director for Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).
Her departure follows the exit of two other top Pruitt aides this week. Albert “Kell” Kelly, who was Pruitt’s banker in Oklahoma and hired to revitalize the agency’s Superfund program cleaning up toxic sites nationwide, resigned Tuesday. So did Pasquale “Nino” Perrotta, the head of Pruitt’s personal security team who has come under congressional scrutiny recently for unusual spending on Pruitt’s protective detail.
Other senior EPA officials also could leave in the coming weeks, according to two individuals who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters.
The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency is “to protect human health and the environment.” Disgraced EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt tried his best to undermine this vital mission by choosing to slash critical health protections and let corporate polluters off the hook. Now that Pruitt’s been booted, we need an EPA administrator dedicated to undoing his toxic agenda and restoring the agency to its core mission. Progress is possible and necessary – but another corporate crony or climate skeptic will not get us there.
Scott Pruitt is gone, but the fight is just beginning. We need an EPA administrator who puts our health and environment first, period. Any alternative is unacceptable.
