The Biden administration allegedly attempted to leverage the EPA to allocate billions to certain NGOs, as EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin described in a conversation with Miranda Devine on “Pod Force One.”
Zeldin, a former congressman from Long Island, recalled his verification process from January, which was conducted through Project Veritas. He mentioned an EPA employee who aimed to access substantial funds before Inauguration Day, while also seeking job opportunities at the recipient organizations.
Once Zeldin secured his position in the Senate, he and his team enthusiastically initiated an inquiry.
“Every time we investigated further, we uncovered self-dealing, conflicts of interest, or unqualified recipients, all paired with inadequate oversight from the agency,” he shared with Devine.
On February 12, Zeldin revealed that Citibank was involved, as the EPA later said they were placing funds with an external financial institution.
“They funneled money through several intermediaries to that bank, primarily these NGOs. The EPA had management agreements with certain recipients,” he stated. Many of these entities, he argued, were filled with self-interest and ties to former Obama and Biden officials.
According to Zeldin, the EPA lost oversight once the funds went through multiple layers, essentially rendering the agency a bystander in managing the accounts.
One of the entities he highlighted was Power Forward Community, a nonprofit coalition linked to Georgia Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams, which received $100 in 2023 and a substantial $2 billion grant in 2024. Zeldin noted that amid this, the agency seemed unaware of budgeting practices, despite the requests for timely training.
“Most of the expenditures raised concerns,” Zeldin continued. “Some CEOs are earning $800,000, while COOs make around $450,000. Over 22 individuals earn more than $150,000, raising several complaints. Even some EPA officials are surprised at these salary levels.” Another official remarked on the lack of justification for senior pay scales.
Abrams has been active in advocating against fossil fuel reliance but was not directly connected to the Biden EPA grant, having transitioned from her lawyer career last year.
Zeldin pointed out that Appalachian Community Capital received around $500 million from the fund in 2023 but had utilized less than $4.5 million to date.
He quoted reviewers at the Biden EPA, not political appointments from the previous administration, saying the funding plans for zero-emissions vehicles and charging stations seemed exorbitantly priced—over $350,000 per vehicle and $150,000 per charging station.
The greenhouse gas reduction fund, established through the Inflation Reduction Act, tasks the government with promoting green energy projects nationwide. Still, Zeldin expressed uncertainty about the whereabouts of much of the funds thus far.
“You could ask a dozen questions about where the funds went after passing through these entities, and I could barely provide answers,” he admitted.
In March, Zeldin sought to withdraw certain grant applications, resulting in a lawsuit from the affected nonprofit.
“Criminal activities are under the jurisdiction of the DOJ and the FBI,” he pointed out, “But we faced significant issues with the systemic problems in this program, necessitating prompt action.”
Zeldin emphasized his intent to ensure taxpayer money is managed appropriately, steering clear of transferring funds between opposing activist groups. “I think the public is exhausted by all the nonsense,” he remarked. “They expect government officials to act on their behalf and manage taxes effectively, without misleading narratives from Congressional Democrats.”
