Pruitt grilled over ethics concerns

WASHINGTON — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt took heat from lawmakers Thursday over his spending and lobbyist ties.

The EPA administrator responded that “twisted” allegations against him were meant to undermine the administration’s anti-regulatory agenda, and he denied knowing details of some of the spending done on his behalf at the agency.

The public grilling at back-toback House hearings, called to consider EPA’s budget, came as support has appeared to erode for Pruitt among Republicans after revelations about unusual security spending, first-class flights, a sweetheart condo lease and more. Democrats excoriated him. “You are unfit to hold public office,” said Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey.

Although most of the Republican lawmakers at the hearings rallied around Pruitt, reviews were mixed. Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois, chairman of the first panel that questioned Pruitt, said afterward the EPA chief was “a little vague,” adding: “It’s never a good idea to blame your staff in public.”

Pruitt has faced revelations involving pricey trips in firstclass seats and unusual security spending, including a $43,000 US soundproof booth for making private phone calls.

He also demanded 24-hour-aday protection from armed officers, resulting in a 20-member security detail that blew through overtime budgets and racked up expenses approaching $3 million.

The EPA chief acknowledged under sharp questioning that he, in fact, knew something about huge pay raises given to two women on his staff — at least one of them a friend — after insisting weeks ago that he didn’t approve the raises and didn’t know who did. Senior legal counsel Sarah Greenwalt received a raise of more than $66,000, bringing her salary to $164,200, and scheduling director Millian Hupp saw her salary jump from $48,000 to $114,590.