WTF Community

Pruitt - in or out?

I guess Trey Gowdy finally got tired of going after Hillary.

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Didn’t he revisit the Benghazi issue at least 7 separate times…?

Interviews with Gowdy I’ve heard since he decided not to seek re-election have sounded much more sane, he sounded like a different person.

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This is un-f…k…g believable. WTF does he need with a sound proof phone booth?

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@SEPTGUY I agree…it is like night and day what Gowdy sounds like, after he said he’d no longer be seeking his Congressional seat.

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@SEPTGUY The only logical thing would be in my estimation would be that Pruitt could protect himself (CYA-cover your ass) when it came down to making deals with those who he favors, ie the Carl Icahns, Koch Brothers etc. We already know he’d made a trip to Morocco so that he could sell natural gas for Cheniere Energy (Carl Icahn). For all Pruitt’s special clientele, he needs to keep his conversations tamper proofed.

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Good point on the phone calls and the sound proof booth.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/04/17/pruitt-upgraded-to-a-larger-customized-suv-with-bullet-resistant-seat-covers/?utm_term=.acae2f88a916

One former EPA official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation, said that Pruitt remarked that he wanted the larger car because it was similar to ones in which some other Cabinet officials rode. The first year’s lease of the vehicle cost $10,200, according to federal contracting records. [The emphasis is mine.]

This fits the pattern of Pruitt using “security” as an excuse to upgrade his government perks from “standard” to “luxury,” not only to enhance his comfort at taxpayers’ expense, but also to bolster his status, in keeping with his grandiose political ambitions.

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If this were an isolated incident, the EPA’s Office of Inspector General could understandably let it slide, but it is far from isolated and should be added to the long list of other corrupt practices that Pruitt has engaged in. An ethics lawyer quoted in the piece puts it this way:

The $409 hotel room “might be the least of his problems, but it’s emblematic of all his problems,” said Virginia Canter, an ethics lawyer for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonprofit watchdog group.

“It’s one thing when a head of an agency or senior official is engaged in legitimate outreach,” Canter added. “But to give a speech, accept a benefit of overnight lodging, then a few weeks later instruct your staff that these are your clients strikes me as inappropriate. At a minimum it raises an appearance issue.”

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Everywhere you look more self-rewarding largesse…cars, hotels, phone booths, commemorative coins.

Motivated by such status seeking - #BigF&&kingDeal, #LookAtMe, #TrumpAspirant

Lordy.

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Oh that’s hilarious! Thanks for that laugh, Keaton!

Clearly needs a sound-proof phone booth to carry on all sorts of illegal & unethical dealings, what else?
I would support the expense if it’s made of cement & the door only opens inward & locks permanently once the booth is occupied. :smirk:

He must be rather paranoid about something. Maybe it’s the non-existent Russians trying to receive electronic signals or low level voice vibrations?

Hey now…somebody with a conscious just woke up…R’s standing up to Pruitt

Tweet @ericliptonnyt

Four GOP Senators and 10 GOP House lawmakers sign letters to EPA’s Pruitt urging him not to move ahead with loophole allowing “super polluting” trucks. So these GOP members now lined up w American Lung Association, enviros, others in opposing this move pushed by major $$ donor https://twitter.com/EricLiptonNYT/status/987084465741627398/photo/1

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J. Steven Hart, the energy lobbyist whose wife “rented” their condo to Pruitt for $50/night, has resigned – now it’s time for Pruitt to resign.

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Another day, another scandal for Scott Pruitt.

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Never changes his stripes…likes shiny, showy, pretty things and will work it to get it.

Excerpt
“During his eight years as a Republican state senator, Mr. Pruitt also upgraded his family residence in suburban Tulsa from a small ranch-style home to a lakefront property in a gated community. In addition, he bought a sizable stake in a minor league baseball team, and took a second job at Mr. Wagner’s corporate law firm. Mr. Kelly’s bank, SpiritBank, would be there for much of it — providing financing for Mr. Pruitt’s Tulsa home and his stake in the baseball team, as well as the mortgage for the Oklahoma City house.”

Mr. Pruitt’s interactions with SBC also show that his blurring of lines with lobbyists has roots in his Oklahoma years. "

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@dragonfly9 Thanks for the link to the NYT article about Pruitt’s shady dealings during his Oklahoma years. My brain hurts from trying to follow all the dubious money trails.

Here’s a Vice News piece that summarizes 10 of the federal investigations he is facing. Maybe now the state of Oklahoma will open a few more.

And here’s another suspicious move by Pruitt. It looks like he may have been using multiple email accounts to cover his tracks. The importance of this revelation is that investigators will now need to check if Pruitt has actually turned over all the emails they have requested or has withheld emails that were in these outlying accounts.

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You got that right…not only does one’s head hurt, but acknowledging the outright gall of this man. All in the name of big Ag (see breaking propaganda rule), big power player (see bullying via demotions to those who try to call out his scurrilous ways), and big stuff (see sirens and motorcades, travel, housing needs for a pittance for Mr. Big Man)

And the multiple emails to razzle dazzle his way outta the scope of any watchdog.

From the 1st Vice article…great finds @Keaton_James

"an already tense time for Pruitt, who has been under fire for a series of scandals, including the misuse of funds for his personal security detail, demoting or assigning employees who tried to call out issues, and extravagant travel spending to name a few. "

This guy has got to go…like yesterday.

But finding a less enabling Congress…and a Prez, who’s dream cabinet appointee is getting his backers needs met…well, it’s really such a sham right now.

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All spelled out here…

Interpreting emails between Pruitt and Hart w/ a meeting set up between them, with acknowledgement that Pruitt was with EPA (July 2017)

Meeting initiated-with Hart, representing Smithfield Foods, and EPA head Pruitt and Dennis Treacy (former Smithfield Food exec). Lobbying efforts were made to help Smithfield Foods out regarding an EPA fine in 1999 for 12 Million for illegally dumping pollutants into the Chesapeake Bay.

Yet the White House does not criticize Pruitt
Support from Marc Short - WH Dir of Legislative Affairs who says he has full support from the Prez.

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