Congress Demands Environmental Protection Agency Hand Over More Emails, Texts

Republican lawmakers are demanding a former top Environmental Protection Agency official’s texts and emails that could point to collusion with environmental activist groups. “Documents show that in 2011, then-EPA Associate Administrator for Policy Michael Goo seemingly used his private e-mail account to routinely communicate with outside groups attempting to influence agency policy,” Texas Rep. Lamar Smith wrote in a letter to EPA chief Gina McCarthy. Republicans have been trying for months to get the EPA to turn over more than 1,000 pages of text messages and cellphone records sent from McCarthy’s government phone. GOP lawmakers say the agency has so far only given them two text message records from McCarthy. The agency also sent over phone billing records and texts from lower-ranking officials. Smith now has his eyes set on getting Goo’s texts and emails. News reports have shown Goo, who now works for the Department of Energy, has close ties with environmental activists. He communicated with activists using a private email account and set up meetings outside EPA property to prevent them from being public record...more