Oversight

Bloomberg The fourth departure this week of an Environmental Protection Agency official was announced on Friday, in a move suggesting continued fallout from the controversies swirling around Administrator Scott Pruitt.     John Konkus, the agency’s deputy associate administrator for public affairs, is leaving to lead communications at the Small Business… Read more »

Think Progress Staff departures from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have become so common that they rarely make news anymore — since Administrator Scott Pruitt took control of the EPA in 2017, more than 700 employees have left the agency. But this week, as federal investigations surrounding Pruitt’s ethical scandals continue to mount, four departures in particular… Read more »

Rep. Don Beyer today sent a letter to House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) requesting a hearing on the status of Puerto Rico’s recovery from Hurricanes Maria and Irma. Beyer wrote: “Dear Chairman Bishop: I write to request that you hold a hearing regarding the status of Puerto Rico’s recovery. It is our responsibility as the primary committee of jurisdiction for… Read more »

New York Times A Washington consultant who was removed from President Trump’s transition team for using his business email address for government work played a central role last year in planning a trip to Australia for Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, and then took steps to disguise his role, new documents show. The consultant, Matthew C. Freedman,… Read more »

Think Progress Even before he was sworn in as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Scott Pruitt was demonstrating the questionable judgment that has marked his 15-month tenure as head of the agency. Working with his soon-to-be chief of staff, Pruitt explored the possibility of establishing an EPA office in his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. If successful, Pruitt could… Read more »

Rep. Don Beyer issued the following statement today after the resignations of EPA Senior Adviser Albert Kelly, who oversaw the Superfund program, and EPA security chief Pasquale “Nino” Perrotta: “Scott Pruitt should be the next to go. The exodus of Pruitt’s closest aides shows just how toxic his reign at EPA has become,” said Rep. Beyer. “Albert Kelly was never qualified to run… Read more »

Today, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight, Congressman Donald S. Beyer Jr. (D-VA) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Environment, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) sent two records request letters to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the General Services Administration (GSA). The letters request documents and… Read more »

AP  The two top officials in charge of security and toxic-waste cleanups at the Environmental Protection Agency have abruptly left their jobs, days after EPA administrator Scott Pruitt told lawmakers that his subordinates were to blame for alleged ethical lapses that have prompted more than a dozen federal investigations of the agency. In statements Tuesday, Pruitt praised the… Read more »

USA TODAY Embattled EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is facing new criticism after it was revealed his controversial trip to Morocco was partially arranged by a lobbyist and cost $100,000 — more than double what was previously reported.  The report in The Washington Postdetails more about the December trip, including that Richard Smotkin, a former Comcast… Read more »

ABC News As investigations into alleged ethical misconduct at the Environmental Protection Agency heat up, two high-ranking aides to administrator Scott Pruitt have abruptly left their jobs this week.   Democrats have raised questions about spending and security decisions made by the head of Pruitt's security team, Nino Perrotta, as well as about the… Read more »