Scott Pruitt Digs Himself Even Deeper at Energy and Commerce Hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Scott Pruitt faced harsh and at times hostile questions from both Democrats and Republicans while defending his ethical transgressions and illegal actions at the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing. During the hearing, Pruitt admitted to giving his chief of staff the greenlight to give massive raises to his top aides. This contradicts Pruitt’s previous statements and Fox News interview where he denied any knowledge of the raises. Pruitt was also forced to answer questions about his sweetheart condo deal owned by the spouse of a fossil fuel lobbyist. Pruitt has repeatedly claimed that he paid market rate for the condo, even telling Trump that he has. However, the Daily Beast reported today that Pruitt’s lobbyist landlord charge others twice as much -- $100 a night --  just to hold events at the condo.

In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement:

"Scott Pruitt has spent his day blaming everyone but himself for his ethical and illegal actions. No staffer forced him to call for his friends to receive raises. No staffer forced him to fly first class on the taxpayers' dime. No staffer forced him to stay at a fossil fuel lobbyist’s condo for just $50 a night. And no staffer forced him to demand that his motorcade sirens be turned on so he could make a dinner reservation. No matter how hard he tries to talk around and deny his scandals, it is all too clear that there is only one person responsible for Pruitt’s misdeeds: Scott Pruitt. His corruption knows no bounds, he holds public health in complete disregard, and he has no place at the EPA. It’s well past time he took his final - one-way - first class flight out of D.C.”