Top EPA official reportedly carries a fake nose on her person at all times, just in case


You truly can never predict when you might need to whip out a disguise, which might explain why Midwest Environmental Protection Agency chief Cathy Stepp "always" has a fake nose on her person, as reported by her daughter, 23-year-old Hannah Stepp.
Hannah revealed details about the secret schnozz during an introduction of her mother to more than 200 EPA staffers at an "all hands meeting." She recounted the details later to the Chicago Tribune, telling the paper that after failing her driving test at the age of 16, Cathy Stepp wore "a fake nose and sunglasses" to shadow a stranger's DMV test so they could learn the route and practice it. "I didn't fail the second time!" Hannah Stepp said. She added that although she did not know exactly how her mother came into possession of a fake nose, she believes Cathy Stepp "always has it with her."
Rather than inspiring anyone to rush out to pick up their own handy disguises, the story mostly just confused the staff. "It was baffling," said one attendee. "For a public official's daughter to admit that in front of her entire staff? It's unethical … and then, did she help put someone unsafe on the roads?"
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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