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EPA Chief Scott Pruitt Resigns

by VOA News

   Embattled Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt has
   resigned after fighting numerous scandals and alleged ethics
   violations.

   President Donald Trump tweeted Thursday that he accepted Pruitt's
   resignation. He gave no specific reason why Pruitt quit, and Trump did
   not mention controversy surrounding someone who had been one of his
   most loyal cabinet members.

   As recently as a few weeks ago, Trump continued to defend Pruitt and
   complained about the "vicious" attacks from the press.

   But during a brief meeting with reporters outside the White House,
   Trump said Pruitt is not "blameless." Trump did not comment when a
   reporter asked him if he was "tired" of Pruitt.

   Federal officials are looking into a number of questions surrounding
   Pruitt, including taxpayer-funded first-class airline travel and
   ordering a $43,000 soundproof booth for his office. Pruitt is also said
   to have rented a Washington apartment from a lobbyist for just $50 a
   day when such places cost thousands of dollars a month.

   EPA staffers say Pruitt used them for such chores as booking personal
   travel, helping his wife find a job, picking up his laundry and
   obtaining a used mattress from a Trump hotel.

   But environmentalists say none of these scandals are as important as
   Pruitt's zeal for deregulation by an agency that has a mission to
   protect the air and water.

   They accused Pruitt of doing the bidding of the energy and fossil fuel
   industries by rolling back a number of pollution rules put in place by
   the Obama administration. Pruitt also banned the words "climate change"
   from the EPA website.

   Pruitt had cited a number of these rules as examples of government
   overreach, with standards that are too high and unrealistic, believing
   the environment can be protected while industry and jobs are allowed to
   thrive.

   Trump says Pruitt's deputy, Andrew Wheeler, will take over as acting
   EPA chief.

   Pruitt is a former Oklahoma attorney general and was EPA director for
   16 months.