Pastor steps up to fill Visclosky’s spot at hearing

Rep. Ed Pastor (D-Ariz.) sat in the chairman’s seat during today’s House Energy and Water subcommittee hearing, taking the place of Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.), who stepped aside in the midst of an investigation.

It had been announced that Pastor would take over Visclosky last week, who stepped aside after being dogged by an investigation into his ties with shuttered lobbying group PMA.

Pastor performed his first functions as interim chairman at a hearing featuring Secretary of Energy Stephen Chu this morning.

The subcommittee is part of the powerful House Appropriations Committee.