July 05, 2018

Duckworth Statement on Long-Overdue Resignation of Scott Pruitt

 

[WASHINGTON, DC] — After the long-overdue resignation of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement:

“It’s abundantly clear that Scott Pruitt abused the public trust by using his government position to finance his lavish lifestyle and the President should have asked for his resignation months ago. Pruitt wasted millions of taxpayer dollars on first-class plane tickets, private planes, luxury hotels, office furniture, and a large 24/7 personal security detail despite his own agency being unable to justify it. He is the subject of more than a dozen independent investigations, he retaliated against EPA staff who questioned his spending habits, and he likely violated ethics rules by renting an apartment from an industry lobbyist who did business with his office. The fact that Donald Trump allowed Pruitt to continue to serve in his cabinet and spend taxpayer money despite knowing all of this shows just how empty his promises to drain the swamp were.”

Duckworth voted against Pruitt’s nomination to be EPA Administrator in 2017, citing his history of denying the science of climate change, past opposition to the Renewable Fuel Standard, refusal to acknowledge the dangers of lead poisoning, and the many lawsuits he filed as Oklahoma Attorney General that attempted to undermine the EPA’s ability to carry out its mission. When reports surfaced exposing Pruitt’s wasteful and exorbitant spending of taxpayer dollars, Senator Duckworth asked a non-partisan government watchdog to investigate whether Pruitt’s EPA broke multiple federal laws. She called on Pruitt to resign or be fired in April and joined 165 Members of Congress in introducing a resolution calling for his resignation.

-30-