More and more, President Donald Trump's administration appears to believe that it is above media scrutiny -- or at least beyond the reach of press whose agenda doesn't include puffing up the president.
The New York Times on Saturday published an article about how recently hired industry insiders are loosening the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s rules on multiple poisons including agents that are known to cause birth defects, cancers and immune disorders.
Career scientists and longstanding EPA employees are horrified and attempting to warn the public, even as Trump appointees prepare to give manufacturers, energy companies and chemical conglomerates carte blanche to release some 80,000 toxic chemicals into the air, water and soil.
However, when the Times contacted the agency for more information, spokeswoman Liz Bowman gave a response worthy of now-oustedFox News attack dog PR flack Irena Briganti.
“No matter how much information we give you, you would never write a fair piece,” Bowman said in an email. “The only thing inappropriate and biased is your continued fixation on writing elitist clickbait trying to attack qualified professionals committed to serving their country.”
Bowman, the Times noted, was an employee of the American Chemistry Council -- one of the groups that will directly benefit from loosened regulations -- before she was hired by the EPA this year.
The American Chemistry Council came to attention after Hurricane Harvey when a chemical plant operated by the ACC caught fire and burned out of control because unstable toxic chemicals were improperly stored prior to the storm's arrival.