PPT: EPA leadership allowed agency appointee to remain linked to Chinese university
- May 9, 2022
Juliette Fairley, Legal Newsline
WASHINGTON Legal Newsline) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has allowed a political appointee to maintain an employment relationship with an arm of a hostile foreign government while he works at the federal agency, according to a watchdog group.
Records received from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed a year ago by Protect the Public’s Trust (PPT), show that when Christopher Frey was the EPA’s deputy assistant administrator for science policy, he was allowed to take a leave of absence as an adjunct professorship at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) rather than resigning.
Frey was subsequently nominated to lead the Office of Research and Development (ORD) at the EPA and during the confirmation hearing, he indicated that upon confirmation to the new Senate-confirmed position, he would resign from his position at Hong Kong University, according to a press release.