Former Trump administration official, Ryan Jackson, acting EPA administrator in 2017, reportedly bypassed ethics reviews and sought approval from political appointees for numerous meetings with his former lobbying firm, HBW Resources, and its clients. This circumvention allowed Jackson to engage with individuals and organizations he was previously paid to represent, potentially violating federal ethics rules.
A review of internal EPA documents reveals that Jackson’s scheduling staff bypassed career ethics officials, instead sending meeting requests directly to political appointees for approval. These meetings involved HBW Resources clients, including energy companies like Cheniere Energy and Southern Company, as well as industry groups like the American Petroleum Institute and the National Ocean Industries Association.
While federal ethics rules generally allow for waivers enabling officials to meet with former clients or employers under certain circumstances, there is no record of Jackson seeking or receiving such waivers. Career ethics officials were reportedly kept in the dark about these meetings, preventing them from assessing potential conflicts of interest. Jackson’s actions raised concerns among ethics watchdogs, who argue that the bypassing of standard ethics protocols created a risk of undue influence by special interests within the EPA. The EPA and Jackson have not responded to requests for comment.
find the original article here: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/exclusive-trump-official-bypassed-ethics-191202141.html