"The National Press Club is expressing concern about a reported dust-up this week between a spokesman for U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and a journalist in North Dakota.

Club President Jeff Ballou today tweeted that the club is "looking into" accusations in a Grand Forks Herald story that EPA spokesman Jahan Wilcox, a political appointee, threatened to call "security" on reporters trying to see Pruitt at an event on the University of North Dakota campus.

When asked about the article, EPA spokeswoman Liz Bowman said reporters were kept out to allow those attending to speak freely, and pivoted attention to a handful of Sierra Club protesters also at the event.

"This bipartisan event with the community's farmers was closed to the press so people can contribute without worrying about reporters in the room and how they may characterize their contributions," Bowman said in an email."

Hannah Northey reports for Greenwire August 11, 2017. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"EPA Chief Pruitt Holds Series Of Closed-Door Meetings in GF, Fargo" (Grand Forks Herald) [3]