E&E Publishes Hogwash Misleading Story

Today, E&E News published an incredibly misleading story on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler, claiming he has not carried out his ethics obligations because colleagues from his former firm communicated with EPA officials PRIOR to Wheeler's nomination or confirmation. They also present misleading insinuations that Wheeler has not lived up to his ethics obligations with no evidence. To be clear, Acting Administrator Wheeler has and will continue to follow his recusal statement and EPA career ethics officials guidance. 

Misleading: "Wheeler's ex-firm lobbied agency on efforts he oversees" and that Acting Administrator Wheeler's former firm communicated with EPA officials on "two specific (Superfund) sites and one rulemaking — all of which Wheeler hasn't recused himself from working on." 

Reality: The communication that E&E News cites occurred in July 2017, nearly four months prior to his nomination to become Deputy Administrator and nearly 10 months prior to his confirmation as Deputy Administrator. E&E News incorrectly implies that because Acting Administrator Wheeler is now at EPA, his former firm's previous attempts to contact the Agency are retroactively prohibited.  

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