Nearly 170 House and Senate Democrats have signed a resolution calling for Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt to resign in the wake of spending and personnel scandals that have dogged him for weeks.
The resolution, signed by 38 Democratic senators, hits Pruitt for misusing taxpayer dollars while cutting the EPA’s budget and staff needed for enforcement, research, and implementation efforts. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who caucuses with the Democrats, also signed the resolution. In the House, 131 Democrats signed a companion resolution.
“Administrator Pruitt has lost the faith of the public through his continued undermining of basic ethics, particularly the ethics of impartiality (such as by renting a below-market priced room in a condominium owned by an energy lobbyist with clients who had interests that are regulated by the Agency) and is tarnishing the reputation of serving in public office at the agency,” the resolution said.
Jahan Wilcox, a spokesman for the EPA, praised Pruitt’s record since becoming head of the agency and said the administrator is focused on supporting President Trump’s agenda.
“From advocating to leave the Paris Accord, working to repeal Obama’s Clean Power Plan and WOTUS, declaring a war on lead and cleaning up toxic Superfund sites, Administrator Pruitt is focused on advancing President Trump’s agenda of regulatory certainty and environmental stewardship,” Wilcox said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
In their resolution, the Democrats not only criticized Pruitt for his use of taxpayer dollars and living arrangement, but also said the EPA administrator has hidden information from the public about meetings, travel, and spending.
They also claimed Pruitt has taken actions that undermine the EPA’s mission and is “helping polluters at the expense of the health, safety, and livelihoods of millions” of Americans.
Several Republicans in Congress have said Pruitt should resign, though none signed on to the resolution.
Pruitt has been embroiled in several scandals, including his decision to take pricey first-class flights, and install a soundproof phone booth for Pruitt at a cost of $43,000.
Scrutiny of the EPA administrator heightened after news outlets reported Pruitt rented one bedroom in a condominium owned by the wife of a lobbyist who has clients with business before the environmental agency. Pruitt paid $50 per night for the room, which the Democratic lawmakers said was below market value.
