Republicans are getting tired of answering for Scott Pruitt. As much as they may say he’s doing “a good job”—meaning that he’s destroying not just the regulations that protect the air, water, soil and health of Americans, but the whole basis for the EPA—his pricey first class flights, even pricier chartered flights, still pricier use of military planes, and apparently endless laundry list of scandals is wearing out Pruitt’s welcome. With the inspector general already looking into:
- Pruitt’s $50-a-night luxury town home provided by a fossil fuel lobbyist.
- Pruitt’s big money house flip that appears to be an only mildly disguised bribe from another lobbyist.
- Pruitt’s routing around the White House to give two of his pals a big raise by stealing from a fund for outside experts—then lying about it.
- Pruitt’s $2 million a year personal security detail that he has defended even though a FOIA request to the EPA turned up no threats.
- Pruitt’s purchase of a $43,000 soundproof booth and other frivolous purchases.
- Pruitt’s $120,000 trip to Rome that included a private tour of the Vatican.
- Pruitt’s trip to Morrocco that not only still doesn’t have a final price tag, it doesn’t have a stated purpose or schedule.
- Pruitt has retaliated against EPA staff by dismissing, demoting or reassigning those who try to point out when he is breaking the rules.
It’s time for Scott Pruitt to drop by Capitol Hill and do a little chatting. And he’s doing so at a point when Pruitt and the White House are not exactly singing in harmony.
Two sources familiar with Pruitt’s preparation for the hearing say that the EPA has turned down an offer from the White House to help prepare the administrator for what is sure to be a bruising few hours of questions about the ethics and government spending controversies that have dogged him of late.
One of the sources, a White House official, characterized the EPA’s response to the West Wing as “get lost.”
Pruitt has become such a constant embarrassment that even Republicans are hoping he’s the one who gets lost.
Meanwhile, Pruitt went ahead and unveiled his expected new rules for EPA “transparency.” And in Trump bizarro-world fashion … he didn’t allow the public in.
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Pruitt’s new rules for the EPA were delivered to a handpicked audience of Republican congressmen who floated a similar proposal in the House, only to have it shot down.
The proposal would allow the agency to use only scientific studies where the underlying data is publicly available. Pruitt said the change would expand the ability of scientists and the public to "comment on the veracity, the authenticity" of data behind EPA decisions.
The truth is that it would eliminate almost every study—past, present, and future—that had anything to say about impacts on human health. Whether it’s toxins in water, particulates in the air, or pesticides on food, none of the landmark studies used in setting EPA policies would be able to meet Pruitt’s “transparency” rules, because they shield details about identities of patients involved in studies. In fact, it’s not clear that it would be possible for any study to meet Pruitt’s new standards without itself violating both ethics and the law.
And because Pruitt’s rules call for “reproducibility,” they would rule out any study of disasters from oil spills to nuclear waste exposure.
"They are ordering EPA employees to put on blinders and only see the science that they want them to see," said Andrew Rosenberg of the Union of Concerned Scientists.
There is something transparent about Pruitt’s new rule: It’s a transparent effort to eliminate science in making agency decisions, created by the same man who took scientists off the agency’s scientific advisory boards and replaced them with industry lobbyists.
Pruitt is continuing to not just wreck regulations one by one, but undermine the existence of the EPA. Every day he’s there is a disaster, and worrying that he might be replaced by someone worse would first require that there be someone worse. That’s why the hearings this week are critical.
Pruitt has been dogged in recent weeks by allegations of ethical lapses both before and during his tenure leading the EPA. Pruitt’s Washington residence, a $50-per-night condominium on Capitol Hill rented from the wife of a prominent energy lobbyist, has raised ethical concerns, as has his part in the seemingly below-market-rate purchase of an Oklahoma City home from a telecommunications lobbyist in 2003.
The administrator’s spending has also generated controversy, including raises for close aides, security expenses that significantly exceeded those of his predecessors and his insistence on flying first class when traveling for government business.
The schism between Pruitt and the White House is real. Real enough that the White House has put out the word that they do not have Pruitt’s back—and neither should anyone else.
White House officials are cautioning Republican lawmakers and other conservative allies to temper their defense of Scott Pruitt, according to two people familiar with the discussions, in a sign that administration support for the embattled EPA chief may be waning.
Pruitt’s has back-to-back hearings in the House on Thursday. That’s why it’s critical that you call your representative today. Call the congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Tell them to hold Scott Pruitt accountable for his massive and ongoing corruption. Tell them to demand his resignation.
Once you’ve called your representative, check out the list of those on:
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce's subcommittee on Environment
The House Committee on Appropriation's subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies
Pick one from either. Pick one from both. Pick several. But make it clear that Scott Pruitt’s time is up.