We are days into the firestorm over Scott Pruitt’s corruption scandals, and he is only looking worse. His clumsy efforts to cover up his lies, deflect attention from his defiance of Donald Trump, and retaliate against his own staff for their efforts to try to protect taxpayers and maintain transparency keep creating humiliating headlines for him and the Trump Administration. The Republican support for Pruitt is eroding and the trouble Pruitt is in is deepening. According to E&E News, he is now the first EPA Administrator since Anne Gorsuch to face pressure to resign from both chambers of Congress. Everyone trying to keep up with his snowballing scandals deserves a drink. Well, this is the best we can do right now:
SALT: When she was asked if Pruitt would be in trouble if he lied to Fox News, Sarah Huckabee Sanders said “The president would expect all members of his Cabinet to be honest and certainly open with the public.”
SHOT: Pruitt told Fox News’ Ed Henry that he did not know about the massive raises for his friends from Oklahoma that were approved at EPA in spite of the Trump White House’s rejection.
CHASER: The Atlantic reports that internal EPA emails reveal Pruitt knew about and approved these raises.
LIME: The career EPA staffer who approved an internal report and analysis that undermined Scott Pruitt’s flimsy excuses for spending millions on his own security and travel was removed from his job the very same day that Senators Tom Carper and Sheldon Whitehouse cited the report in questioning Pruitt’s spending, according to Politico. That news comes after the New York Times reported at least five EPA staff had already been reassigned or removed by Pruitt in retaliation for asking questions about his spending and management of the agency.
Retaliation. Cover-ups. Lies. The next round definitely won’t be on Scott Pruitt (unless taxpayers are reimbursing him) -- but it will be because of him.
Other Updates:
April 9 - Pruitt Scrambles to Cover Up Giant Lie
April 8 - COLLINS: Pruitt Not Fit for EPA on Policy Grounds Alone
April 7 - Donald Trump is Being Conned by Scott Pruitt
April 6 - The Worst Week in Washington is the Only Thing Pruitt has Won
April 6 - Questions for Sarah Huckabee Sanders: Scott Pruitt is Under Siege
April 5, Questions for Sarah Huckabee Sanders: Pruitt's Situation Goes from Bad to Unsustainable
April 4, Sanders Refuses to Say Trump Has Confidence in Pruitt
April 4, Scandal Ridden Scott Pruitt Lies on Fox News
April 3, Questions for Sarah Huckabee Sanders: Pruitt is Flailing Edition
April 2, What They Are Saying on Pruitt’s Condogate: “Grifter,” “Unravelling,” “Criminal”
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