Growing Crisis Threatens EPA Chief Pruitt as Top Aides Eye the Exits

"WASHINGTON — A spreading crisis has threatened to engulf Scott Pruitt, the chief of the Environmental Protection Agency, who until recently ranked among the stars of the Trump administration.

Now, he is mired in a series of ethical questions about his housing arrangements, staffing decisions and costly travel at taxpayer expense. Senior White House officials say that Mr. Pruitt’s fate has become uncertain.

On Thursday, one of the central questions facing the E.P.A. chief — his decision in 2017 to rent a room in Washington from the wife of a top energy lobbyist — was exacerbated when an E.P.A. ethics official walked back his earlier assessment that Mr. Pruitt had done nothing wrong. In a new memo made public Thursday, the official said that he did not have all the facts when he made his initial finding."

Coral Davenport and Lisa Friedman report for the New York Times April 5, 2018.

SEE ALSO:

"Senator’s Letter About Samantha Dravis" (New York Times)

"Scott Pruitt Reportedly Lied About Knowledge Of Staff Raises" (HuffPost)

"Top Pruitt Aide Resigns Amid Growing Scandal at EPA" (ABC News)

"EPA: Pruitt's Chief Of Staff Eyes Exit — Source" (Greenwire)

"Senate Democrats Call for Investigation of Pruitt's Unusual Raises" (Atlantic)