But because Civil Service rules make it difficult to fire federal workers, the show of defiance indicates that Mr. Pruitt will face strong internal opposition to many of his promised efforts to curtail E.P.A. official in the George W. Bush administration who has been mentioned as a possible deputy to Mr. Pruitt. Mr. Pruitt, the attorney general of Oklahoma, has sued the E.P.A. employees, and agency workers say that if Mr. Pruitt is confirmed, they intend to amplify their resistance to him, taking their case to the American public. Experts say it is not surprising that liberal and environmental groups, such as the Sierra Club, have campaigned against Mr. Pruitt.

Source: New York Times February 16, 2017 20:56 UTC