"In the latest bizarre twist of an already strange saga, the Interior Department announced late today that a political appointee from the Department of Housing and Urban Development won't become Interior's acting inspector general after all.

Following nearly a week of confusion and amid growing outrage from congressional Democrats, Interior said attorney Suzanne Israel Tufts would not be leading the department's Office of Inspector General.

"Ms. Tufts was referred to the Department by the White House as a potential candidate for a position in the Inspector General's office," the department said in a statement. "At the end of the day, she was not offered a job at Interior.""

Michael Doyle reports for E&E News PM October 18, 2018. [2]