Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Trump's EPA Director Now Under Investigation for Use of a Private Email Address--Because of Course He Is

Trump's EPA Director Now Under Investigation for Use of a Private Email Address--Because of Course He Is
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 26: EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt takes his seat prior to his testimony before the House Appropriations Committee during a hearing on the 2019 Fiscal Year EPA budget at the Capitol on April 26, 2018 in Washington, DC. The focus of nearly a dozen federal inquiries into his travel expenses, security practices and other issues, Pruitt was on the Hill to testify about his agency's FY2019 budget proposal. (Photo by Alex Edelman/Getty Images)

This makes the twelfth investigation into Scott Pruitt.

Scott Pruitt is under investigation. Again.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) inspector general announced it is investigating Pruitt, who is the EPA administrator, and his use of nonpublic email accounts. This is the twelfth investigation into the administrator's behavior while heading the agency.


Records show four accounts were created for Pruitt. Pruitt's spokesman claimed that one account is used for administrative tasks and that another was used only briefly.

The news comes as Pruitt is expected to face questions about his spending habits and other unethical behavior at a Capitol Hill hearing today on the agency's budget.

Two political leaders took to social media to blast Pruitt's latest controversy.

"I'll say it again: Scott Pruitt must resign, and he must resign now before he uses your taxpayer money for his next luxurious vacation," wrote Nancy Pelosi, the Minority Leader for the House of Representatives.

"In any other reality, Scott Pruitt would resign in shame," wrote Senator Tina Smith (D-MN).

During his last congressional testimony, which took place three weeks ago, Pruitt was asked about "his unprecedented security detail, travel practices and massive raises given to aides," according to CNN.

During his testimony, Pruitt:

  • told legislators that the $43,000 soundproof booth installed in his office is not rated for classified materials, which is the explanation he previously used to justify the purchase;
  • insisted that two close aides received enormous raises via his chief of staff, to whom he granted the authority to give out the raises; this explanation contradicted his previous claim that he had no prior knowledge of the raises;
  • was rebuked by a whistleblower who said Pruitt lied when he claimed not to have retaliated against aides who questioned his decisions;
  • was reprimanded by the inspector general, who said Pruitt "misrepresented to Congress a memo he provided them about security concerns."

Pruitt has also had to defend his use of a Capitol Hill condo that he rented for $50 a night. Pruitt’s use of the space is the target of ethical concerns because the condo is owned by J. Steven and Vicki Hart. Mr. Hart is a lobbyist in the healthcare arena.

Since Pruitt's testimony:

  • the inspector general found that his protection team is several times larger than the one used by his predecessors, costing taxpayers at least $2 million in salaries last year alone;
  • CNN uncovered an "executive protection" playbook posted by the security company owned by Pruitt's former security chief.
  • three of his top aides, including Liz Bowman, whom Pruitt tasked to lead environmental cleanup projects, have left the agency;
  • a review of internal emails found that EPA officials "shielded Pruitt from facing questions from the public and reporters";
  • reports revealed that industry lobbyists helped plan two overseas trips for Pruitt, including a visit to Morroco and another to Australia, which was canceled due to hurricanes;
  • a report revealed that conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt personally arranged a meeting between Pruitt and California water officials and that not long afterward, Pruitt announced a groundwater cleanup project in the area.

President Donald Trump defended Pruitt's conduct as head of the EPA as recently as last week. Trump was sitting two seats away from Pruitt at a meeting with auto industry representatives when he was asked if he had confidence in the EPA administrator.

"Yes, I do," the president replied.

The president previously came to Pruitt's defense after his use of the Capitol Hill condo became public knowledge.

"While Security spending was somewhat more than his predecessor, Scott Pruitt has received death threats because of his bold actions at EPA," the president wrote at the time. "Record clean Air & Water while saving USA Billions of Dollars. Rent was about market rate, travel expenses OK. Scott is doing a great job!"

The latest questions came about as a result of a New York Times investigation which found that Pruitt dined with a Vatican official, Cardinal George Pell, last year when the EPA knew Pell was under investigation for child sexual abuse. According to the Times, the EPA did not list Pell on any of the public schedules released under the Freedom of Information Act.

Responding to that controversy, EPA spokesman Jahan Wilcox said Pell was "one of 12 to 15 individuals" who attended the dinner. Wilcox added that the "EPA had no knowledge that he was coming to the dinner."

"It is incorrect to report that any knowledge of the allegations against Cardinal Pell were raised to Administrator Pruitt's level. It is also important to note that Cardinal Pell was not charged until June 29, 2017, three weeks after the dinner with several Vatican officials took place," Wilcox said.

Afterward, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she did not know whether the president was aware of the Times' latest reporting when he expressed his confidence in Pruitt.

More from News

Screenshot of Peter Navarro
CNBC

Trump Adviser Gets Epic Reminder After Claiming The Left Went After Him Like They Did Charlie Kirk

President Donald Trump's senior counselor Peter Navarro was swiftly fact-checked after claiming during a CNBC interview that Democrats sent him to prison as a political attack, asserting that leftists went after him how "they got" Charlie Kirk, the far-right activist who was assassinated last week.

Navarro, who also served during Trump's first administration and participated in attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 general election, holds the distinction of being the first former White House official imprisoned on a contempt-of-Congress conviction.

Keep ReadingShow less
Lorne Michaels
Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

Lorne Michaels Just Explained The Thinking Behind His Big 'Saturday Night Live' Cast Shakeup

Saturday Night Live turned 50 last year and a lot of former cast members and major celebrities joined in the season long celebration, but it's a new year and it's time to get back to business.

Which, with SNL, usually means some cast changes—out with the old (and sometimes not so old) and in with the new. Show creator and producer Lorne Michaels recently announced SNL would return on October 4 with a literal handful—five—cast changes.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kari Lake; Charlie Kirk
Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Kari Lake Slammed After Warning Parents Not To Send Their Kids To College After Charlie Kirk Murder

Speaking during a memorial service for far-right activist Charlie Kirk at the Kennedy Center, failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake—now the Trump administration's Senior Advisor for the U.S. Agency for Global Media—called U.S. colleges “indoctrination camps” and urged parents not to send their children.

Lake ignored the fact that Kirk was killed while speaking at a college, in this case Utah Valley University (UVU), the largest university by enrollment in Utah.

Keep ReadingShow less
JD Vance; Charlie Kirk
Real America's Voice

Vance Claims Kirk Never Insulted Black Women's 'Brain Processing Power'—And Here Come The Receipts

Vice President JD Vance served as host of the late far-right activist Charlie Kirk's podcast this week and was called out after claiming Kirk "never uttered" words about the "brain processing power" of Black women—even though Kirk said as much in 2023.

Vance made the claim after Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah—a Black woman—said she was dismissed from the paper following social media posts on gun control and race after Kirk’s assassination.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Donald Trump
Fox News

Trump Swiftly Fact-Checked After Making Bonkers Claim About How Many Americans Died From Drugs Last Year

President Donald Trump was criticized after attempting to justify the bombing of a suspected Venezuelan drug boat by asserting that 300 million people died from drugs last year.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump was asked about the order he gave earlier this month to destroy a boat he suspected of transporting drugs off the coast of Venezuela, rather than simply intercepting it. All 11 people on board the boat were killed.

Keep ReadingShow less