Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt sought Thursday morning to “take responsibility” for various ethics and spending accusations that have imperiled his job, assuring Congress he will “make changes,” but blaming the media for reporting “half truths” and saying critics want to derail his deregulatory agenda.
“As administrator, I have to take responsibility to make changes to ensure in each of these areas we get results and show the American people we are good stewards of taxpayer resources, stay true to the EPA’s mission and I am committed to doing that,” Pruitt said in much-anticipated testimony before a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee.
“I want to address each of these issues and provide information and will work with Congress to provide any and all information that helps answer those questions.”
But Pruitt said the allegations and multiple ongoing federal investigations of his behavior “have been a distraction to our agenda, and that is troublesome.”
“I did not expect this work to be easy,” he said. “There have been very troubling reports. I have nothing to hide. The responsibility for identifying and making changes rests with me and no one else. But facts are facts. A lie doesn’t become true just because it’s on the front page.”
The embattled EPA chief said he wants to set “the record straight” on issues including his $50-per-night condo rental deal with the wife of an energy lobbyist who had business before the EPA, spending more than $3 million on security, frequent first-class travel, and charges that he retaliated against employees who questioned his judgment.
“Those who attack EPA and me want to derail the president’s agenda and priorities,” Pruitt said. “I will not let that happen.”
Republicans on the committee said they worry Pruitt’s problems are distracting the agency from carrying out a deregulatory agenda.
“I am concerned the good progress being made on the policy front is being undercut by allegations about your management of the agency and use of its resources,” said Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. “These issues are too persistent to ignore and I know that many members are looking for more clarity from you today.”
Other Republicans described Pruitt as a “victim” of Democratic venom toward his policies and vowed to stand by him, promising to focus their questioning on policy.
“You’re not the first person to be a victim of Washington politics,” said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas. “That is what is happening to you.”
Democrats, meanwhile, uniformly criticized Pruitt’s judgment, ethics and policies, and asked him to resign.
“Your actions are an embarrassment to President Trump and a distraction to his mission,” said Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey, the top Democrat on the committee. “If I was the president, I would just get rid of you.”
