Edhat StaffBy edhat staff
Former Santa Barbara County Supervisor Mike Stoker was released from his region director position at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week and he speculates the reason is for being too bipartisan.
Stoker, a Carpinteria resident, was appointed by President Trump in May 2018 to head the Region 9 EPA office that covers California, Hawaii, Nevada, Arizona, the Pacific Islands, and 148 tribes. He previously served on the local Board of Supervisors from 1986-1994, chairman of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board from 1995-2000, California deputy secretary of state from 2000-2002, and served as director of government affairs for UnitedAg.
According to an online statement, Stoker states he received a phone call Wednesday morning advising him to resign or he will be terminated as his EPA phone and laptop were disabled within minutes.
He went on to state that three weeks ago he was told by someone in headquarters that it wasn’t going unnoticed how many Democrat members in Congress were commending Stoker for the good job he was doing.
“Bottom line I am proud of the work I’ve done and I am especially proud that both Democrat and Republican lawmakers have applauded my efforts. After all, last time I checked, the EPA’s mission to protect the public health and environment is not a partisan issue…at least it never has been for me,” wrote Stoker.
While Stoker stated he will remain loyal to the President he was not given a reason for his termination other than it wasn’t personal. Stoker disagrees and went on to state there are a lot of specific situations that may have contributed to his dismissal but he will not reveal them while the president is still in office.
Stoker has faced backlash during his time at the EPA for not regularly working out of the San Francisco office where his 600 employees and regional headquarters are located. He reportedly spent 19 workdays in Los Angeles and took 15 trips out of 35 to Southern California destinations, according to an Inspector General report.
A one-year pilot program was initiated after the report to change Stoker’s workplace from San Francisco to Los Angeles. EPA warned that this move could later expose Stoker to liability for his travel expenses as emails showed Stoker pushed for the change, reports E&E News.
This is Trump’s continued war against important government agencies and the environment.
ANOTHER Trump follower & worker bites the dust like they all do/will. The fact that he even worked for Trump’s EPA that is hell-bent to drill, frack, ruin our pristine channel & destroy our fragile environment never won any points with me after seeing first hand what an oil blowout (1969) & other oil-related disasters since do to the SB area.
Hire Stoker as county pot tzar, another environmental disaster. He has the right skill set.
The confusing part is that he was canned because of how many DEMOCRAT members in Congress were commending Stoker for the good job he was doing? What’s THAT all about? Mikr Stoker could never be accused of being a Democrat.
That might be a plan and he can work with Das after he gets thrashed by Laura Capps in the election because he’s too young to retire & will need a steady income.
That he remains loyal to Donald Trump is a good reason to be fired from any position.
Exit the Joker, Mike Stoke,r who was just too friendly with Democrats and refused to trash even more of the environment. Like a true MAGA cultist he still loves his messiah, the guy who just fired him, Don Dump.
Compared with Trump, Barry Goldwater was a liberal.
“Loyalty to Trump?” So, where did that get you, Mr. Stoker? It got you fired, because Dfrump doesn’t know what that word means! Now perhaps you might think about joining the winning side!!!
Stoker has always been an opportunist who is friendly with anyone whom he believes can advance his career. I suspect even in the swamp of the Trump world his penchant for untruths caught up with him.
A loss. Look forward to learning administration’s, our government’s explanation for termination. There must be more to this story.
This is the best news I have heard in months. The bit about being “too bipartisan” is horse dump.
5:48 pm: You don’t remember Goldwater I suspect. Trump is not a “conservative”. Goldwater was. Goldwater had right wing views that were consistent with a political philosophy (not reality) that free-enterprise and less government worked better than government participation in the market. He hated Communists and “Un-Americans” but I don’t recall specific bigotry by religion (he was Jewish) or place of origin. Trump’s stuff is totally without philosophical underpinnings. He is a “Populist” who speaks and legitimizes the worst instincts of the public. His is a desire to be in power and to “win” which has always been the test of his life. Fair play certainly has nothing to do with it. I think Goldwater played fair.
Right on, Phantom Blot. Stoker “The Midnight Coker” was NO friend of the Santa Barbara Couty environment. He covered for the WORST oil operation in the country, Greka, for years and yet they still operate as I write this. He also favored allowing fracking & renewed oil drilling off our coastline. Hog Wash! Let the EPA do this in Florida off the Mar-a-Loco property and revoke the special “You can’t touch this!” designation by Trump. Hog Wash! A good call to can him. Stay tuned, because another “Drill Baby, Drill” minion is on their way and we can bank on that happening. Boo!
The only thing I can recall about Mike Stoker is how happy we all were when he was no longer a County Supervisor. He is certainly no friend to the environment. Glad to hear EPA dumped him.