{"slug":"trump-first-term-scott-pruitt-epa-corruption","title":"Scott Pruitt: EPA Corruption, Tactical Security Detail, and Regulatory Rollbacks","date":"2017-02-17","lastUpdated":"2018-07-05","description":"Scott Pruitt, Trump's first EPA Administrator (confirmed February 17, 2017, resigned July 5, 2018), was the subject of more than a dozen federal investigations and congressional inquiries covering: a $50/night condo rental from a lobbyist wife while her clients had EPA business, a $43,000 soundproof phone booth in his office, first-class flights at taxpayer expense, a 24/7 security detail that drove him to restaurants and ran personal errands, and attempts to secure his wife a Chick-fil-A franchise. He resigned after the weight of investigations became untenable — but not before implementing approximately 30 significant deregulatory rollbacks at the EPA.","summary":"Pruitt's tenure combined serious corruption with aggressive deregulation — two goals that reinforced each other. His 24/7 security detail, which EPA Inspector General reports found was not justified by credible threats, cost taxpayers approximately $3.5 million in his 17 months at the agency. He flew first-class on domestic flights, claiming security concerns, while his own security detail said coach was adequate. He rented a condo from the wife of a lobbyist — at $50/night — while her clients' matters were pending before the EPA. He granted unprecedented raises to two staff members through CAA authority after the White House had denied the raises. He was ultimately undone by the accumulation of scandal but had already implemented dozens of deregulatory actions.","category":"corruption","severity":"major","ongoing":false,"sources":[{"url":"https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/climate/scott-pruitt-epa-resignation.html","title":"Scott Pruitt Resigns as E.P.A. Chief After a Cascade of Ethics Scandals","publisher":"The New York Times"},{"url":"https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/pruitt-corruption-epa-investigations/2018/07/05/story.html","title":"Scott Pruitt resigns — the full timeline of his scandals","publisher":"The Washington Post"},{"url":"https://apnews.com/article/scott-pruitt-resignation-epa-corruption-investigations","title":"EPA's Pruitt resigns amid cascade of ethical scandals","publisher":"The Associated Press"},{"url":"https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2018-06/documents/pruitt-ig-report.pdf","title":"EPA Inspector General Report on Pruitt's Security Detail and Travel","publisher":"EPA Office of Inspector General"}],"draft":false,"status":"published","tags":["Pruitt","EPA","corruption","first-term","environment","security-detail","lobbying","deregulation"],"relatedEntries":[],"timeline":[{"date":"2017-02-17","title":"Pruitt confirmed as EPA Administrator","summary":"Scott Pruitt is confirmed as EPA Administrator 52-46. As Oklahoma attorney general, he had filed multiple lawsuits against the EPA. His confirmation is supported by fossil fuel industry groups. He immediately begins implementing deregulatory agenda."},{"date":"2017-03-01","title":"Condo rental from lobbyist wife begins","summary":"Pruitt begins renting a Capitol Hill condo from Vicki Hart, wife of lobbyist J. Steven Hart, for $50 per night. Her clients have matters pending before the EPA. The arrangement was later found to not satisfy federal ethics standards."},{"date":"2017-06-01","title":"24/7 security detail established — unprecedented for EPA","summary":"Pruitt establishes a 24/7 security detail unprecedented for an EPA administrator. Agents later describe performing personal errands. The detail costs approximately $3.5 million in 17 months. The IG finds no credible threat justified the level of protection."},{"date":"2018-02-01","title":"Soundproof booth installed — $43,000, exceeds threshold","summary":"A $43,000 soundproof communications booth is installed in Pruitt's office. EPA rules require Congressional notification for improvements over $5,000. Congress is not notified. The IG investigates. The booth is never certified as meeting security specifications."},{"date":"2018-05-01","title":"Unauthorized pay raises — Pruitt claims ignorance, staff disputes","summary":"Pruitt's use of Superfund contracting authority to provide $43,000 and $28,000 raises to two staff members — after White House denial — becomes public. Pruitt claims he didn't know about it. Staff say his claim is false. He asks aides to issue supportive statements."},{"date":"2018-07-05","title":"Pruitt resigns — 14+ investigations had accumulated","summary":"Pruitt submits his resignation letter, citing the 'unrelenting attacks' on himself and his family. At resignation, more than 14 investigations by the EPA IG, GAO, and Congress were open. Trump tweets that Pruitt did an 'outstanding job.'"}],"location":{"name":"Washington, D.C.","lat":38.9072,"lng":-77.0369},"custom":{"era":"first-term","posture":"reported","warCrimeClassification":"enabling","internationalLaw":[],"iccRelevance":false,"victims":"American taxpayers who funded Pruitt's personal security and travel; EPA staff subjected to what Inspector General reports described as a culture of retaliation; American public whose environmental protections were rolled back through deregulatory actions conducted alongside the corruption","structuredPerpetrators":[{"name":"Scott Pruitt","role":"EPA Administrator; engaged in multiple documented instances of ethical misconduct and misuse of public funds while implementing aggressive deregulatory agenda","institution":"U.S. Environmental Protection Agency"},{"name":"Donald Trump","role":"President; appointed Pruitt; publicly defended him even as investigations mounted; accepted Pruitt's eventual resignation without admitting the investigations were valid","institution":"White House"}],"updateLog":[{"date":"2018-07-05","summary":"Based on resignation and IG report findings."}]}}