Claim: EPA Head Used Secret Email to Hide Documents

The House Science Committee is investigating whether Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson used the secret email alias “Richard Windsor” to hide internal communications from government watchdogs–an action that may violate open-records laws.

Christopher Horner of the Competitive Enterprise Institute uncovered the presence of the email alias while researching his recently released book, The Liberal War on Transparency.

The revelation stands in sharp contrast to President Barack Obama’s promise that his would be the most transparent administration in history. 

“They’ve been moving government over to private email,” said Mr. Horner in an interview with the Washington Times. “In the book, I reveal private servers the White House had universities and pressure groups set up so they can conduct discussions.”

Open-records laws do not allow federal workers to use private emails to skirt public information requests.

In September, the Competitive Enterprise Institute sued to have the hidden EPA email accounts released.

On Friday, Republican members of the House Science Committee released a statement expressing their intent to investigate the matter.  “This reported incident follows similarly secretive and highly questionable methods of communication by senior officials at science agencies within the White House, Department of Commerce (DOC), and Department of Energy (DOE).”