REACTION: Pruitt may fly coach on his next flight

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In an interview with CBS News, and on the heels of an NYT op-ed declaring Pruitt the worst member of the Trump administration, Scott Pruitt has declared that he has told his security team to accommodate security threats in “alternate ways, up to and including flying coach, and that is what's going to happen on my very next flight.”

In Response, Sierra Club Legislative Director Melinda Pierce Released the Following Statement.

“Pruitt’s clear admission that he was wrong to jet around the country on first class junkets further demonstrates that he should immediately pay back the costs he forced taxpayers to cover. From the beginning, this entire Pruitt flight scandal has been a charade of bad faith. Members of Congress in both parties and aviation and security experts have made clear that there is no reason a government official should not fly alongside the American public in coach.

“No one is impressed that Pruitt may consider flying coach on his very next flight. Well, what about the one after that -- and the one after that? Spendy Scott doesn’t get a gold star each time.”

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ICYMI - The GOP Calls out Pruitt on Flight Scandal

GOP SENATORS:

Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA): “I would be embarrassed to get on a plane, sit down in first class and have my constituents pass me by and see me.” [Washington Post, 2/15/18]

Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE): “[Coach] would be sufficient.” “I’m always hauling my bags onto the plane every weekend.” [Washington Post, 2/15/18]

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV): “My honest impression was the plane should be equally safe no matter where you’re sitting. I would have to assume, without talking to him, that there’s been a safety assessment to say that it’s better for him to be in the front of the plane. But in my view all seats should be created equal in terms of safety.’ [E&E News, 2/15/18]

GOP HOUSE MEMBERS:

House Oversight Committee Chair, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC): "Federal regulations require government travelers to obtain approval or authorization from their agency to use accommodations other than coach-class when traveling on official business […] Clearly, federal regulations prohibit a blanket waiver to fly first class except to accommodate disabilities or special needs." [CBS News, 2/22/18]

Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID): "We don’t buy first class tickets. He probably shouldn’t either.” [Politico, 2/15/18]

FORMER OFFICIALS:

Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA), former governor of California: [Pruitt is] “without any doubt, the wrong person at that place.” “He does not represent the people. He only represents the special interest. He should be removed immediately.” [Inside EPA, 2/15/18]

CONSERVATIVE MEDIA:

Tom Rogan, conservative columnist: “Pruitt has taken an excessive approach to his security arrangements … [and] the degree and cost of his security arrangements are significantly higher than those of his predecessors. [W]hen it comes to an administration that has pledged to drain the swamp, Pruitt’s choices are inconsistent. President Trump should take action.” [Washington Examiner, 2/12/18]

Union Leader Editorial: “Perhaps Pruitt's security detail did book him into first- and business-class seats. But Pruitt had the authority to question this extravagance. It seemingly never occurred to him. […] Taxpayer-funded travel isn't going to make much of a difference in the trillion dollar annual deficits projected under the Trump budget. But it would be nice if top government officials showed some effort to watch out for the bottom line, rather than their own convenience.” [Union Leader, 2/18/18]

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