Pruitt Departs EPA

Last Thursday, the ever-changing Trump administration lost another member: this time, Scott Pruitt, the head of the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). Here, Election Central takes a look at why Pruitt resigned, and the possible effects this decision may have on the nation’s environmental future.

Who Was Scott Pruitt?

Before becoming head of the EPA, Pruitt was the attorney general of Oklahoma, where he made a name for himself by sueing the EPA fourteen times–the same agency that President Trump appointed him to lead. The job of the EPA director is to guide federal government policy on environmental issues. As director, Pruitt faced harsh criticism from environmental scientists and environmental activists for supporting Trump’s deregulation policies. In fact, during his sixteen months in office, Pruitt–an open denier of climate change–attempted to reverse more than a dozen Obama-era environmental protections.

Pruitt also faced additional criticism not just for his policies, but for his unethical spending habits. In April, btw reviewed some of Pruitt’s questionable financial decisions, such as spending hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money on unnecessary first-class travel; $43,000 on a personal soundproof phone booth; and a private jet. He has also purchased bulletproof weapons and vests, leased art from the Smithsonian Museum to decorate his office, requested his own private security detail, and has given out unapproved raises to favorite staff members. Aides who questioned him about his unethical spending were allegedly punished and placed on mandatory leave.

So Why Did He Quit?

Recently, Pruitt has been facing intense investigations about his spending habits on Capitol Hill. More news stories keep appearing to document his misuse of finances. As allegations piled up, half a dozen of Pruitt’s closest aides resigned, and though Trump has continued to back him, fewer and fewer legislators have been willing to come to his defense. Finally, on July 5, the White House asked Pruitt to submit his resignation. Upon receiving it, Trump stated that there was no one “final straw” that caused Pruitt to resign, and continued to insist that he had done a great job as EPA director. Pruitt, for his part, said that he quit because he didn’t want to continue being a distraction for the administration.

According to Pruitt, his proudest moment as head of the EPA was when the United States pulled out of the Paris Climate Accord.

What’s Next?

Trump has already appointed Andrew Wheeler, Pruitt’s second-in-command, to head up the EPA. But while Democrats and environmentalists are celebrating Pruitt’s departure, they fear that Wheeler will be more of the same. Wheeler is a former EPA employee who has made a career out of representing coal, mining, and other energy companies. It is expected that he will continue many of Pruitt’s policies and follow the path established by the Trump administration thus far.

Dig Deeper Since Trump took office in January 2017, at least 19 of the administration’s top officials have quit or been fired. Using internet resources, identify five of them (not including Pruitt). Write a short paragraph about who they were, and why they left.