In normal times, we would no longer be talking about Scott Pruitt, the undignified and embattled EPA Administrator who is somehow surviving one humiliating, money-wasting scandal after another. He and his wife would be back in Oklahoma, learning how to use the fryer at their dream Chick-fil-A franchise, because in any normal administration, Pruitt would’ve been fired long ago. It’s odd that the reality show star known for the “You’re fired” catchphrase can’t seem to muster it when it matters.
Well, it’s a day that ends in “y,” so that means a new Pruitt scandal is surfacing. From the Washington Post:
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt asked members of his 24/7 security detail to run errands for him on occasion, including picking up his dry cleaning and taking him in search of a favorite moisturizing lotion, according to two individuals familiar with those trips who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk frankly.
Pruitt, who also has enlisted agency staff in tasks that ranged from apartment hunting to securing a mattress for his personal use, faces congressional scrutiny over an expanding number of spending and management decisions. Federal rules bar public officials from receiving gifts from subordinates, including unpaid services, and from using their office for private gain.
Asked about the specific errands his security detail ran on his behalf, the EPA issued only a brief statement Thursday. “Administrator Pruitt follows the same security protocol whether he’s in his personal or official capacity,” spokeswoman Kelsi Daniell said.
Not just any moisturizing lotion, a concoction that is only sold at Ritz-Carlton Hotels. Apparently Pruitt had security drive him from one Ritz to another in search of the moisturizer. You can’t make this stuff up, folks.
But, there may be signs Pruitt’s days at the EPA are about to end. For one, these stories seem to be trickling out faster and faster. Another indicator is that even Fox News is starting to add up the high cost of Scott Pruitt’s whimsies.