The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt (all times local):

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12:05 p.m.

Scott Pruitt's top spokesperson is leaving the Environmental Protection Agency, the latest high-profile departure from the embattled agency.

Liz Bowman, EPA's associate administrator for public affairs, has confirmed that she is stepping down. In a statement, Bowman says she was grateful to serve the Trump administration and Pruitt.

Bowman came to the EPA from the American Chemistry Council trade group.

Her departure comes a week after Pruitt's security chief and Superfund administrator stepped down amid a growing series of federal ethics investigations of Pruitt's tenure at EPA.

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6:40 a.m.

A memo from the Environmental Protection Agency is raising new questions about EPA chief Scott Pruitt's relationships with lobbyists.

The memo from last August released Wednesday shows that the lobbyist whose wife had rented a condo to Pruitt for $50 a night sought EPA committee posts for a lobbying client.

The senior Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Frank Pallone of New Jersey, says the request shows the extent to which special interests providing Pruitt with gifts have sought specific favors from EPA in return.

The memo makes for the latest in a monthslong barrage of news reports and federal investigations questioning spending and other actions at Pruitt's EPA.