Message of the Week
June 11, 2018
Embattled EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is continuing to push his toxic agenda despite waning support from even his staunchest allies in Congress, thanks to a
seemingly endless stream of ethics scandals and embarrassing news stories about his corruption, graft, and possible criminal behavior.
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Scott Pruitt had the worst week in Washington last week, as news story after news story detailed the many ways the embattled EPA administrator has used his public office for personal gain.
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From directing his aides to shop for used mattresses for his home, to using his security detail to fetch him luxury lotion and pick up his dry cleaning, Pruitt’s inappropriate conduct makes a mockery
of the standards of conduct Americans expect from their public officials.
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Even worse, it was revealed that Pruitt abused his position of power to try to secure his wife a Chick-fil-A franchise, an action that may have violated federal anti-corruption laws. Several members
of Congress have called upon the Justice Department and the FBI to launch a criminal investigation into whether Pruitt broke the law.
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Despite his snowballing scandals, Pruitt is still aggressively pursuing a toxic agenda that threatens Americans’ health. He just proposed a new rule that would drastically change how the EPA evaluates
pollution safeguards, prioritizing the costs for companies to comply with rules over the benefits that pollution protections have on our communities’ health and safety.
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From day one, Pruitt has censored science and cooked the books in an attempt to justify doing the bidding of polluters, industry lobbyists, and campaign donors. Most recently, Pruitt is helping
out the chemical lobbyists by rolling back bipartisan chemical safety reviews that protect Americans from dangerous toxins and new, untested chemicals.
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Pushing through his toxic agenda still won’t protect Pruitt though, as even his allies in Congress are losing patience with his multiplying scandals and ethical breaches.
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Notably, Pruitt’s best friend and staunchest supporter in Congress -- and fellow climate skeptic -- Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe is rethinking his support. The Republican Senator said he’s not sure
that Pruitt can “weather the storm,” while House Energy and Commerce Chairman Greg Walden put it plainly, saying “This needs to stop.”
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The American people deserve an EPA administrator who is committed to the agency’s mission of protecting our health and the environment. Instead, we’re stuck with Scott Pruitt, who is mired in a swamp
of shady dealings and has repeatedly abused the power of his office for personal gain. It’s beyond time for Trump to boot Pruitt.
Lia