Senator calls ethics allegations against Pruitt ‘lies’

WASHINGTON — A Republican senator who had expressed concerns about Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt mounted an outspoken defense of him Wednesday after a face-to-face meeting, calling ethics allegations against Pruitt “outrageous lies.”

Sen. Jim Inhofe, from Pruitt’s home state of Oklahoma, spoke after summoning Pruitt to a one-onone meeting this week to discuss more than a dozen allegations that Pruitt has misused his office to obtain perks and material benefits for himself and his family, including costly, taxpayer-funded premium-class trips and round-the-clock security.

“This is the type of outrageous lies you hear in Washington that people don’t have a chance to respond to,” Inhofe said at a Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works confirmation hearing for two EPA nominees that quickly turned into a sparring session about Pruitt.

Sen. Tom Carper, D-del., listed some of the ethics allegations against Pruitt and said the Senate isn’t doing enough to examine them and hold him accountable.

“We are abdicating a fundamental responsibility of this body if we continue to do so,” he said.

Inhofe interrupted him to defend Pruitt. “I know what you said is not correct,” Inhofe said.

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-iowa, who has faulted Pruitt over the scandals and over an ethanol policy widely opposed by Midwest corn farmers, criticized Pruitt at Wednesday’s hearing for “unacceptable uses of taxpayer dollars.”