Examining Mismanagement Within the EPA
Hearing Highlights
“It is very ironic that an agency is charged with making sure that we have a clean environment but yet has a work environment that is polluted.”- Congressman Mark Meadows
Congressman Trey Gowdy: Question- “Mr. Reeder, were you aware of an allegation of inappropriate and unwanted sexual discussion at an EPA happy hour on December the 4th 2013?”
John Reeder, EPA Deputy Chief of Staff: Answer- “No sir.”
Congressman Trey Gowdy: “Do you know why you weren’t aware of that Mr. Reeder, because you didn’t bother to ask Mr. Jutro’s supervisor when you were doing his background check.”
Congressman Mark Meadows: Question- “If we have an EPA employee who is watching porn an hour a week on average, are you willing to fire them?”
Stanley Meiburg, Acting Deputy EPA Administrator: Answer- “The answer is not ‘no’ and the answer is not ‘in every case’.”
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Inspector General Arthur Elkins Jr.
“The OIG’s investigation was negatively impacted and delayed by the fact that these senior EPA officials did not notify the OIG about their Knowledge of underlying incidents”
“This is not the first time that I have raised an alarm in regards to these issues to EPA leadership and at hearings before this and other congressional committees over the past five years.
“I question the priority or the sense of urgency placed on resolution, on the part of agency leadership, to move beyond the status quo.”
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Patrick Sullivan
“However, the OIG’s investigation was negatively impacted and delayed due to the fact that these senior officials did not notify the OIG about their knowledge of other incidents of Jutro’s inappropriate behavior toward women.”