Pruitt Blows Through Senate Deadline as More Stories About Abuse of Law and Taxpayer Spending Accrue

As EPA administrator Scott Pruitt’s scandals continue to accrue, he’s refusing to answer questions from the Senate about his violations of the law. Amid new reports of excessive spending, use of EPA staff time to meet his personal needs, and extravagant gifts from coal barons, Pruitt is expected to blow through today’s Senate deadline for providing information on his ethical lapses stemming from last month’s hearing.

Just when you thought Pruitt’s outlandish waste of taxpayer dollars and blatant corruption couldn’t get any more ridiculous, a year’s worth of fresh scandals popped up just over this weekend:

Friday: The Washington Post reports that emails released via a Sierra Club FOIA request helped indicate Pruitt spent over $1,500 on 12 pens. You read that right: Pruitt spent less than he spent on rent in a month on 12 pens. He also spent an additional $1,670 on other items from the upscale jewelry store, including personalized journals. In total that’s more than $3,000 on office stationery.

Saturday: At one of the biggest games of the season, Pruitt scored some of the best seats in the University of Kentucky basketball arena courtesy of coal baron Joseph W. Craft III - and their cozy relationship doesn’t stop there, according to a New York Times expose.   

Monday: Senior House Democrats demand answers after testimony from one of Pruitt’s closest aides reveal Pruitt -- raising serious questions about Federal Ethics laws -- had his staff conducting his personal housing search, booking his personal flights and even seeking to furnish his apartment. furnishing his apartment. In fact, Pruitt’s director of scheduling and advance reached out to the DC Trump hotel looking to purchase a used Trump mattress for Pruitt.

Again, these are just the newest scandals. You don’t have to look hard to see Pruitt’s deep record of corruption. In fact, here’s a summary.

In response, Sierra Club Legislative Director Melinda Peirce released the following statement:

“Scott Pruitt is spending your money on his own luxurious tastes, from wasting taxpayer dollars on his first class flights and pens that cost a month’s rent to cozying up with coal millionaires to having taxpayer-funded staff run his personal errands. He’s clearly violated the law numerous times and should be held accountable by being fired immediately. Pruitt made his bed, but by refusing to own up to his countless transgressions he’s refusing to lie in it.”