House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) called for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief Scott Pruitt to resign Friday in light of mounting allegations of ethics violations including petitioning for large pay raises for two of his top aides. Pelosi accused Pruitt of “ethical blindness.”
“EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s tenure has been a part of the Trump Administration’s culture of corruption, cronyism and incompetence,” Pelosi said in a statement. “Pruitt must resign.”
“Pruitt has displayed a staggering ethical blindness, and his abuses of office are representative of an Administration that uses their powerful positions to enrich themselves and their friends,” she claimed.
“Multiple members of Trump’s Cabinet are under federal investigation for graft, corruption and sticking taxpayers with the multi-million dollar bill for their extravagance and lavish lifestyles,” Pelosi added. “Republicans in Congress need to end their complicity, and finally take action to hold Pruitt and this Administration accountable for their abuses.
In addition to the unethical raises for his top aides, which Pruitt recently denied knowledge of and put a stop to, the EPA chief has also been facing scrutiny over renting a room from a lobbyist’s wife for $50 a night. The EPA Office of the Inspector General said Thursday that Pruitt is not facing an independent investigation over his lease arrangement.
Pruitt has also faced scrutiny over the expense of his first class air travel, which agency officials later said was necessary due to security concerns.
President Trump tweeted Friday that Pruitt was “totally under siege” and dispelled other rumors that he was planning to replace Attorney General Jeff Sessions with Pruitt.
Do you believe that the Fake News Media is pushing hard on a story that I am going to replace A.G. Jeff Sessions with EPA Chief Scott Pruitt, who is doing a great job but is TOTALLY under siege? Do people really believe this stuff? So much of the media is dishonest and corrupt!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 6, 2018