(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is calling on the federal EPA to demand one of its former leaders pay back tens of thousands of dollars she “wasted” while in office. Grassley stopped short of saying criminal charges should be filed against Katherine Lemos, the former chair and CEO of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, or CSB. He says Lemos violated the public trust and squandered taxpayer resources. “I think that I want the money back,” Grassley says. “Beyond that, I’ll let the Justice Department take whatever action ought to be taken.”

Grassley quotes a recent EPA Inspector General report that says Lemos improperly spent almost $98,000 on travel, unnecessary training, and office decor. He says, “I think that we run into this waste of taxpayers money too much on things being spent that shouldn’t be spent.” Grassley says members of the CSB are paid to investigate and respond to chemical hazard situations, not to redecorate their offices. He says the misspent funds should be returned to reimburse taxpayers — and to deter future abuse.

“This isn’t Senator Grassley making this judgment, it’s the inspector general of the agency making that judgment,” he says, “and yes, she should pay back that 90-some-thousand dollars of taxpayers money that she wasted.” Lemos resigned in July of 2022. The inspector general report found Lemos illegally used government funds to pay for travel between Washington, D.C., and her home in San Diego. The report also says she spent more than $22,000 to redecorate her office, violating a federal law that caps such expenses at $5,000.