Top government ethics official writes EPA on Pruitt questions

Scott Pruitt’s security detail has required far more resources than that of his predecessors, costing taxpayers almost $3 million when factoring in overtime and frequent travel for the agents who protect the Environmental Protection Agency administrator 24/7, according to an EPA official.

Later, the EPA official, Kevin Minoli, said that he was referring the inquiry to the department’s inspector general, which carries investigative powers that the ethics office does not. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., on Monday requested a review by the Government Accountability Office and determination about whether Pruitt’s actions violated different federal laws.

The letter calls on the EPA to properly investigate Pruitt’s potential ethics violations and take “appropriate action” if a violation is found.

At the daily White House briefing, spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked if Trump’s Saturday night tweet meant the president approved of his cabinet secretaries flying first-class and tripling the size of their security details.

In the days since the latest scandal erupted, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, as well as President Donald Trump’s Chief of Staff, Gen. John Kelly, have called for Pruitt to step down.

“Essentially, OGE is saying that it is watching and the EPA better conduct comprehensive investigations into the numerous ethics concerns involving Pruitt”, Scott Amey, general counsel of the government watchdog group Project on Government Oversight, told BuzzFeed News in an email.

In reality, Pruitt’s most effective legacy hasn’t been regulatory rollbacks to save money – it’s been in the cut-and-dry bureaucratic policy of the EPA, which has done more to undermine the agency’s ability to hold polluters accountable than save taxpayer dollars. “As always, the EPA’s ethics office stands ready to assist the IG in any way”.

Pruitt has been heavily criticized over the last few weeks due to excessive spending and possible ethics violations.

Pruitt had come under fire for the raises, which were granted despite White House objections. Then the New York Times revealed that staffers who tried to rein in Pruitt’s unnecessary spending were punished.

Pruitt referenced the short-term rental site as an explanation for his lease in an interview on Fox News, but realtors say the comparison doesn’t jive.

The Washington Post sought records under the Freedom of Information Act late past year, asking for “copies of all emails, letters, voicemails and other communication in which Administrator Pruitt was threatened with violence or which were otherwise considered to be threatening to the administrator”.

‘I don’t think you could get a room for $50 a night, ‘ Sen. The salaries of people working for Pruitt’s security rose, with some even making as much as $160,000 under him.

The White House also opened a form inquiry into Pruitt’s living arrangement. Sen. Susan Collins told CNN’s “State of the Union” that she voted against Pruitt being appointed to the EPA post and that his recent actions in the “environmental arena”, including the weakening of restrictions on lead, were “reasons enough to validate my decision to oppose his confirmation”.