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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Pruitt Chief Communications Aide Resigns From EPA

The top communications aide to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt announced her own resignation Thursday as she became the third top aide to make their departure from the agency known this week.

WASHINGTON (CN) – The top communications aide to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt announced her own resignation Thursday as she became the third top aide to make their departure from the agency known this week.

Liz Bowman, who was Pruitt's chief spokesperson, is leaving the EPA for a job on Capitol Hill. She will officially leave her current post on May 11, and shortly thereafter become communications director for Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.

“Being a member of the EPA team has allowed me to further my skills, learn from my mistakes, and make lifelong friendships,” Bowman said in a statement Thursday. “It has also provided me the opportunity to develop a new and deep respect for the public servants who serve the American people, day in and day out, to ensure that we all have access to clean air, land and water.”

“I leave extremely thankful for the opportunity to serve the Trump administration and Administrator Pruitt,” Bowman said.

On Tuesday, Pruitt’s top security official abruptly resigned ahead of his scheduled questioning before a congressional panel. Pasquale “Nino” Perrotta was one of two top Pruitt aides to leave the agency on May 1 amid a series of federal ethics inquiries.

The other was Albert Kelly, a former Oklahoma banker, who until Tuesday ran the EPA’s Superfund program.

The string of departures come on the heels of a pair of grueling congressional hearings held last month in which Pruitt was lambasted by lawsmakers over multiple alleged ethical lapses.

Pruitt is now the subject of at least 11 separate inquiries with investigators looking into everything from his multi-million dollar private security detail to a sweetheart real estate deal he received from the wife of an energy industry lobbyist to  pay raises he gave to preferred staffers.

Ryan Jackson, the EPA’s chief of staff told Courthouse News that Bowman brought “good judgment, good management and good organization” to the agency.

“She has a great opportunity ahead of her at the senate. She will work for a great member that has a great future in front of her,” Jackson said.

Bowman previously worked for the American Chemistry Council, Pew Charitable Trusts and the Washington, D.C.-based public affairs firm HDMK.

Categories / Government, National, Politics

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