Scott Pruitt, Trump’s EPA Pick, Backed Industry Donors Over Regulators

"WASHINGTON — A legal fight to clean up tons of chicken manure fouling the waters of Oklahoma’s bucolic northeastern corner — much of it from neighboring Arkansas — was in full swing six years ago when the conservative lawyer Scott Pruitt took office as Oklahoma’s attorney general.

His response: Put on the brakes.

Rather than push for a federal judge to punish the companies by extracting perhaps tens of millions of dollars in damages, Oklahoma’s new chief law enforcement officer quietly negotiated a deal to simply study the problem further.

The move came after he had taken tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from executives and lawyers for the poultry industry."

Eric Lipton and Coral Davenport reports for the New York Times January 14, 2017.

SEE ALSO:

"Pruitt v. EPA: 14 Challenges of EPA Rules by the Oklahoma Attorney General" (New York Times)

"Energy Firms in Secretive Alliance With Attorneys General" (New York Times: 2014)

"Devon Energy Scripted Letters" (New York Times: 2014)

Letter of June 25, 2012, from Pruitt and AGs to Lisa Jackson

"Democrats Press EPA Pick Pruitt On Energy Sector Ties" (Politico)