Trey Pollard trey.pollard@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, a new Washington Post story reveals that Scott Pruitt illegally abused his official position and had taxpayer-funded staff attempt to secure meetings with Chick-Fil-A CEO Dan Cathy in an attempt to secure a Chick-fil-a franchise for his wife. The attempt by Pruitt was first revealed in an email from EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s scheduler, Sydney Hupp, exposing how Pruitt sought a discussion with Cathy about potential “business opportunity”. According to the email, which was revealed as a result of successful Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) litigation by the Sierra Club, “The Administrator would like to talk about a potential business opportunity with Mr. Cathy.”
Pruitt’s apparent relationship with Cathy - a separate email indicates the two “had an opportunity to visit during the Administrator's tenure in Oklahoma” - is yet another attempt by Pruitt to violate federal law by enriching himself through his official position. Already, Pruitt has faced investigations due to his record of - among many other things - flying first class on the taxpayer’s tab and coach when he picks up the bill, his pricey pen habit, and his corrupt deal with a lobbyist to secure a sweetheart condo deal in Washington, D.C.
In Response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune Released the Following Statement
“Scott Pruitt’s abuse of the public trust and his corrupt attempts to leverage his position for personal gain have reached a disgraceful new low. This is the clearest example yet of Pruitt unethically and illegally seeking personal benefits because of the job Donald Trump has entrusted him with. How much longer will Trump allow Pruitt to enrich himself at the taxpayer’s expense? This appears to be the only Administration in history that would allow this level of corruption to thrive, as any President with any sense of ethics or the law would fire Pruitt immediately.”
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.