Wheeler, in contrast, has been the subject of no such scandals since his confirmation in April, where he secured three Democratic votes in his favor for a final count of 53-45.
But while an EPA press release describes Wheeler as having “spent his entire career working in environmental policy,” his past experience as a registered lobbyist for a coal mining company drew criticism from Democratic lawmakers.
In his confirmation hearing in November 2017, Wheeler said he would recuse himself from matters related to that coal mining company, Murray Energy, including meeting with former clients or his former law firm that represented the company.
Environmentalists and Democrats are wary of Wheeler’s associations with climate change skeptics and deniers. Wheeler previously worked for Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., who authored “The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future.”
Some environmental groups are already speaking out against Wheeler.
Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, said in a statement: “We have to restore public trust in the EPA and let the agency fulfill its mission, rather than gut the laws that keep our families safe. A coal lobbyist dogged by ethical questions like Andrew Wheeler is not the person to do that.”