E&C Democratic Leaders Demand Zeldin Reinstate Whistleblowers Illegally Put on Leave Last Week
Pallone, Tonko, and Clarke also Request EPA’s Office of Inspector General Investigate this Blatant Illegal Retaliation Against these Employees
Energy and Commerce Committee Democratic leaders wrote to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin today demanding that he reinstate employees he illegally placed on administrative leave for signing a public whistleblower letter last week. In the letter, the EPA employees described abuses of office, actions being taken at the Agency which endanger public health, and ongoing efforts to undermine the EPA’s mission. The Committee leaders also notified Zeldin that they would be asking the EPA’s Office of Inspector General to investigate this illegal retaliation against these employees.
The letter was signed by Full Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member Paul Tonko (D-NY), and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY).
“Instead of reflecting on these good-faith, constructive critiques, you have brazenly retaliated against at least 139 signatories by illegally placing them on administrative leave and, through a spokesperson, falsely calling their actions ‘illegal,’” the Democratic Committee leaders wrote to Zeldin. “It is deeply disturbing to see you blatantly break the law while baselessly accusing others of misconduct.”
Pallone, Tonko, and Clarke wrote that Zeldin’s retaliation against these signatory-whistleblowers is plainly illegal. The Whistleblower Protection Act protects individuals—like the signers of the letter—who provide information to Congress and others about gross mismanagement, gross waste of federal funds, abuse of authority, and danger to public health and safety.
“Taking adverse actions against employees for making a protected disclosure — including investigating them and placing them on administrative leave — in a manner that deters others from coming forward is a textbook violation of the Whistleblower Protection Act,” Pallone, Tonko, and Clarke continued in their letter to Zeldin. “You must stop abusing your office and return these employees to their regular status immediately.”
The three Committee leaders ended by demanding a briefing to Committee staff on EPA’s retaliatory actions.
Text of the letter is available here.
###