Environmental Protection Agency officials appointed by former President Donald Trump kept two fired agency employees on the government payroll after they were ousted, Politico reported.
The revelation comes from a March report by the agency’s inspector general that Politico obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. The report said chief of staff Ryan Jackson directed former White House liaison Charles Munoz, to authorize almost $38,000 in improper payments for the two former staffers – one of whom had been fired, and the other forced out after refusing to resign, according to Politico.
The identities of the two former staffers. who were improperly paid was redacted in the report. The first individual was fired in 2017 and Munoz told investigators Jackson ordered him to make sure the person was still getting paid after they were ousted, the report said.
Munoz said Jackson told him to tell human resources the individual was working remotely which, according to the report, was meant to ensure the fired employee would keep getting paid.
