The Hill connects ongoing conflict among staff at the Environmental Protection Agency to a press release on President Trump’s executive order on energy independence Tuesday that included a quote slamming the president’s new policy.
The press release included a quote, mistakenly attributed to Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), “With this Executive Order, President Trump has chosen to recklessly bury his head in the sand. Walking away from the Clean Power Plan and other climate initiatives, including critical resiliency projects is not just irresponsible — it’s irrational … Today’s executive order calls into question America’s credibility and our commitment to tackling the greatest environmental challenge of our lifetime.”
In fact, the Hill notes, that statement was made by Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE).
The Hill cites the “rift between many of the EPA’s nonpolitical career employees and the political leaders appointed by Trump” in connection with the press release.
EPA staff reportedly said they had mistakenly released a draft of the statement. However, the agency did not explain why an attack on the president would have been included in any draft of any release.
Last week, the Washington Free Beacon’s Adam Kredo reported an ongoing effort by Obama loyalists to sabotage the Trump administration by, among other methods, altering press releases.
“[H]oldovers from the Obama administration are working to undermine the Trump administration’s agenda through efforts to alter official communications, a number of administration officials confirmed in conversations with the Washington Free Beacon,” Kredo reported.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. He was named one of the “most influential” people in news media in 2016. His new book, How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.