EPA spokesman to leave agency

One of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) top communications officials is leaving the agency, days after former Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned.

Jahan Wilcox, whose official title was strategic communications adviser, established a reputation for his passionate defenses of Pruitt and the EPA and his often abrasive interactions with reporters.

{mosads}“It’s been a privilege to advance President Trump’s agenda of environmental stewardship and regulatory reform,” Wilcox said in a statement.

The departure comes less than a week after Pruitt left the agency following months of scandals involving the administrator’s ethics, taxpayer-funded spending decisions, allegations he had staff complete personal tasks for him and other issues.

Deputy Administrator Andrew Wheeler took over Monday as the acting head of the agency.

A number of top political aides to Pruitt left as the scandals grew, including former Associate Administrator for Public Affairs Liz Bowman, scheduling director Millan Hupp and senior counsel Sarah Greenwalt.

Wilcox has worked in communications roles for numerous GOP political campaigns or operations, including North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum’s 2016 campaign, Sen. Marco Rubio’s (Fla.) 2016 presidential campaign, Sen. Joni Ernst’s (Iowa) 2014 campaign and the Republican National Committee.

Wilcox’s departure was first reported by Bloomberg News.

Miranda Green contributed.