Scott Pruitt loyalists being 'purged' from the EPA by John Kelly himself

Former Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt might be gone but his loyalists are still there. At least, they were, until very recently.

The Daily Beast reported Sunday that chief of staff John Kelly has ordered that Pruitt's hand-picked staff be ejected from the EPA. One source went so far as to call it the "purge" of Puritt staff. The source also alleged this was part of an on-going battle between the Pruitt staffers and the White House after months of the administration complaining about ethical concerns.

Those with knowledge of the "purge" said that Kelly gave the green-light himself to remove at least three top officials. Spokesperson Lincoln Ferguson had planned to leave anyway, but the White House shoved him out quicker than expected.

Senior EPA communications advisor Jahan Wilcox was another asked to resign. As was Hayley Ford, the EPA's deputy White House liaison, who was forced out earlier this month almost immediately after Puritt's departure.

According to The Beast, Ford and Wilcox had a reputation for being the Pruitt staffers who "had to go." Ford, specifically, had to be "escorted out" after she was fired.