With Scott Pruitt out as EPA administrator, let’s take a trip down memory lane to revisit the scandals he endured during his short tenure. There’s almost too many to count, but here are at least 30.
(Source: huffp.st/VqwmTV3 & huffp.st/R2Dxooo)
(Source: huffp.st/VqwmTV3 & huffp.st/R2Dxooo)
1. His Washington housing arrangement.
At the center of Pruitt’s ballooning ethics crisis is his $50-a-night sweetheart deal to rent a room in a luxury Capitol Hill townhouse linked to a fossil fuel industry lobbying firm, Williams & Jensen.
At the center of Pruitt’s ballooning ethics crisis is his $50-a-night sweetheart deal to rent a room in a luxury Capitol Hill townhouse linked to a fossil fuel industry lobbying firm, Williams & Jensen.
2. A shady real estate deal in Oklahoma.
In 2011, Pruitt and his wife, Margaret, bought a property in Tulsa, Oklahoma, days before a court ruled that it had been fraudulently transferred by a Las Vegas developer who was on the hook for a $3.6 million loan default.
In 2011, Pruitt and his wife, Margaret, bought a property in Tulsa, Oklahoma, days before a court ruled that it had been fraudulently transferred by a Las Vegas developer who was on the hook for a $3.6 million loan default.
3. Giving unapproved raises.
Pruitt used a loophole in the Safe Drinking Water Act to give two of his longtime aides raises of $56,765 and $28,130 after the White House rejected his request for the salary increases.
Pruitt used a loophole in the Safe Drinking Water Act to give two of his longtime aides raises of $56,765 and $28,130 after the White House rejected his request for the salary increases.
4. His first-class travel ― and his explanation.
Pruitt routinely spent between $1,400 and $4,000 on flights to Boston, New York and Corpus Christi, Texas. He regularly stayed in luxury hotels. His international travel expenses soared into the six figures.
Pruitt routinely spent between $1,400 and $4,000 on flights to Boston, New York and Corpus Christi, Texas. He regularly stayed in luxury hotels. His international travel expenses soared into the six figures.
5. His frequent trips back home to Oklahoma.
The EPA shelled out between $2,000 and $2,600 for Pruitt’s first-class flights to his home state of Oklahoma, where he spent 43 out of 92 days last spring. The trips cost a total of more than $12,000 in airfare.
The EPA shelled out between $2,000 and $2,600 for Pruitt’s first-class flights to his home state of Oklahoma, where he spent 43 out of 92 days last spring. The trips cost a total of more than $12,000 in airfare.
6. About that Morocco trip...
The EPA denied that Pruitt met with officials from Cheniere Energy Inc., a gas firm that paid Williams & Jensen $80,000 for lobbying, or the lobbying firm itself.
The EPA denied that Pruitt met with officials from Cheniere Energy Inc., a gas firm that paid Williams & Jensen $80,000 for lobbying, or the lobbying firm itself.
7. A private jet?
The EPA considered spending roughly $100,000 a month to lease Pruitt a private jet, according to The Washington Post.
The EPA considered spending roughly $100,000 a month to lease Pruitt a private jet, according to The Washington Post.
8. Round-the-clock security.
The EPA chief’s expansive security detail comes at a cost of close to $3 million, including pay and travel expenses, an unnamed EPA official told The Associated Press.
The EPA chief’s expansive security detail comes at a cost of close to $3 million, including pay and travel expenses, an unnamed EPA official told The Associated Press.
9. Spending $120,000 to hire an opposition researcher for the media.
He signed off on a $120,000 no-bid contract with a firm who boasts being “a master of opposition research” and senior vice president took part in a campaign to shape negative opinions about Elizabeth Warren.
He signed off on a $120,000 no-bid contract with a firm who boasts being “a master of opposition research” and senior vice president took part in a campaign to shape negative opinions about Elizabeth Warren.
10. Spending roughly $43,000 on a soundproof phone booth.
He installed a soundproof phone booth in his office. Pruitt defended the expense, in a congressional hearing, where he said, “It’s necessary for me to be able to do my job.”
He installed a soundproof phone booth in his office. Pruitt defended the expense, in a congressional hearing, where he said, “It’s necessary for me to be able to do my job.”
11. He tried to use emergency sirens to cut through D.C. traffic.
Pruitt asked his security team to use his vehicle’s emergency lights and sirens to speed through traffic in Washington to get to an official appointment.
Pruitt asked his security team to use his vehicle’s emergency lights and sirens to speed through traffic in Washington to get to an official appointment.
12. Punishing EPA staffers who challenged his spending.
Pruitt reassigned, demoted or forced out five agency officials who challenged his “unusually large spending on office furniture and first-class travel,” The New York Times reported.
Pruitt reassigned, demoted or forced out five agency officials who challenged his “unusually large spending on office furniture and first-class travel,” The New York Times reported.
13. Allowing an aide to moonlight as a media consultant.
The EPA ethics office in August gave John Konkus, a top Pruitt aide, approval to work as a media consultant outside the agency. After E&E News broke the story, the EPA refused to disclose the identities of Konkus’ clients.
The EPA ethics office in August gave John Konkus, a top Pruitt aide, approval to work as a media consultant outside the agency. After E&E News broke the story, the EPA refused to disclose the identities of Konkus’ clients.
14. His naked political ambitions.
Politico reported that he was eyeing the job of U.S. attorney general. A profile in The New York Times quoted sources saying Pruitt had been plotting to make a bid for president as early as 2024.
Politico reported that he was eyeing the job of U.S. attorney general. A profile in The New York Times quoted sources saying Pruitt had been plotting to make a bid for president as early as 2024.
15. His past ties to natural gas companies.
Pruitt allowed an Oklahoma City-based gas giant to write a complaint to the EPA under his letterhead as the state attorney general in 2011.
Pruitt allowed an Oklahoma City-based gas giant to write a complaint to the EPA under his letterhead as the state attorney general in 2011.
16. Meeting more with fossil fuel companies than with health advocates.
Pruitt spent more time meeting with oil, gas and coal industry officials than with environmental and public health advocates during his first few weeks in office, according to calendars reviewed by HuffPost.
Pruitt spent more time meeting with oil, gas and coal industry officials than with environmental and public health advocates during his first few weeks in office, according to calendars reviewed by HuffPost.
17. Withholding his appointment calendars.
The EPA has refused to release Pruitt’s calendars for months. During Pruitt’s first year in office, plaintiffs filed 55 public records lawsuits against the EPA, making it the busiest year for litigation since 1992.
The EPA has refused to release Pruitt’s calendars for months. During Pruitt’s first year in office, plaintiffs filed 55 public records lawsuits against the EPA, making it the busiest year for litigation since 1992.
18. Refusing to recuse himself.
Of the 14 times Pruitt sued the EPA as Oklahoma attorney general, four lawsuits aimed to block the Clean Power Plan. Despite this, Pruitt refused to recuse himself from the EPA’s effort to repeal the rule once he took office.
Of the 14 times Pruitt sued the EPA as Oklahoma attorney general, four lawsuits aimed to block the Clean Power Plan. Despite this, Pruitt refused to recuse himself from the EPA’s effort to repeal the rule once he took office.
19. His “red team-blue team” debate on climate science.
Pruitt proposed hosting a televised debate on climate science, pitting a “red team” against a “blue team,” and running a military-style exercise to offer the American people an “objective” perspective on global warming.
Pruitt proposed hosting a televised debate on climate science, pitting a “red team” against a “blue team,” and running a military-style exercise to offer the American people an “objective” perspective on global warming.
20. His embrace of the right-wing Heartland Institute.
The group receives funding from conservative donors, including Robert and Rebekah Mercer, the billionaires who bankrolled Trump’s presidential campaign.
The group receives funding from conservative donors, including Robert and Rebekah Mercer, the billionaires who bankrolled Trump’s presidential campaign.
21. Booting scientists off EPA advisory boards without telling them.
Pruitt announced plans to bar scientists who receive EPA research funding from serving on the agency’s advisory boards, a move widely seen as an attempt to give industry-paid researchers more control.
Pruitt announced plans to bar scientists who receive EPA research funding from serving on the agency’s advisory boards, a move widely seen as an attempt to give industry-paid researchers more control.
22. Spending election money on luxury travel before joining the EPA.
From 2002 to 2016, Pruitt, then Oklahoma attorney general, received more than $300,000 in donations from the oil, gas and coal industries. Even more went to a political action committee and a super PAC.
From 2002 to 2016, Pruitt, then Oklahoma attorney general, received more than $300,000 in donations from the oil, gas and coal industries. Even more went to a political action committee and a super PAC.
23. Talking to Chick-fil-A.
Internal emails showed Pruitt had ordered an aide to set up a call with the chairman of Chick-fil-A to discuss the administrator’s wife, Marlyn Pruitt, becoming a franchisee of the growing fast-food chain.
Internal emails showed Pruitt had ordered an aide to set up a call with the chairman of Chick-fil-A to discuss the administrator’s wife, Marlyn Pruitt, becoming a franchisee of the growing fast-food chain.
24. Trying to get his wife a job.
A former aide told congressional investigators that she was asked to help her boss’s wife find a job with a six-figure salary.
A former aide told congressional investigators that she was asked to help her boss’s wife find a job with a six-figure salary.
25. Buying an old mattress.
Pruitt instructed a longtime aide to try to buy “an old mattress” from the Trump International Hotel in Washington. Hupp told investigators that she wasn’t sure why Pruitt wanted the mattress and that, to her knowledge, it wasn’t for EPA business.
Pruitt instructed a longtime aide to try to buy “an old mattress” from the Trump International Hotel in Washington. Hupp told investigators that she wasn’t sure why Pruitt wanted the mattress and that, to her knowledge, it wasn’t for EPA business.
26. Sitting courtside.
Pruitt sat courtside at a University of Kentucky basketball game in December as the guest of Joseph W. Craft III, a billionaire coal executive who aggressively lobbied to reverse Obama-era environmental rules.
Pruitt sat courtside at a University of Kentucky basketball game in December as the guest of Joseph W. Craft III, a billionaire coal executive who aggressively lobbied to reverse Obama-era environmental rules.
27. Spending taxpayer money.
Pruitt paid $3,230 in taxpayer money for personalized journals and pens, priced at $130 each, from the luxury Washington jewelry store Tiny Jewel Box.
Pruitt paid $3,230 in taxpayer money for personalized journals and pens, priced at $130 each, from the luxury Washington jewelry store Tiny Jewel Box.
28. Nominating for task force.
Pruitt named Steven D. Cook as the new head of the EPA’s Superfund Task Force. The plastics and refining conglomerate where Cook spent more than 20 years as the in-house counsel is linked to at least three dozen Superfund pollution sites.
Pruitt named Steven D. Cook as the new head of the EPA’s Superfund Task Force. The plastics and refining conglomerate where Cook spent more than 20 years as the in-house counsel is linked to at least three dozen Superfund pollution sites.
29. Ignoring the EPA’s own research.
The EPA’s own science advisers rebuked Pruitt’s decision to gut Obama-era rules requiring automakers to reduce tailpipe emissions, arguing the agency ignored its own research in concluding that the regulations were too stringent.
The EPA’s own science advisers rebuked Pruitt’s decision to gut Obama-era rules requiring automakers to reduce tailpipe emissions, arguing the agency ignored its own research in concluding that the regulations were too stringent.
30. Naming a coal lobbyist as his No. 2.
The acting EPA administrator and Pruitt’s potential successor is a coal lobbyist — Andrew Wheeler. Wheeler is a climate change denier and is considered an actor with the skills to execute the same deregulatory agenda.
The acting EPA administrator and Pruitt’s potential successor is a coal lobbyist — Andrew Wheeler. Wheeler is a climate change denier and is considered an actor with the skills to execute the same deregulatory agenda.
