Every day there’s a new story alleging one thing or another about Scott Pruitt, the man in charge of the EPA for the past year in the Donald Trump administration.
The latest? A claim by a former deputy chief of staff to Pruitt that he wanted to fly on an airline not on a government-approved list so he could rack up more frequent flier miles.
It’s the story claimed by the New York Post.
The story was told by former deputy Kevin Chmielewski in a meeting with Democratic lawmakers, giving them more fuel for their fiery attacks against the former Oklahoma Attorney General. Chmielewski once rubbed shoulders with Donald Trump in his run for the White House.
After Chmielewski met with the three Democrats in the House and two in the Senate, they fired off a six-page letter to Pruitt demanding answers.
“We will respond to members of Congress through the proper channel,” was the answer of the EPA.
Chmielewski also claimed that Pruitt told staffers to find events so he could fly home for weekends in Oklahoma.
“Find me something to do,” is the order he gave, according to Chmielewski who was put on unpaid administrative leave after questioning Pruitt’s actions.
“The new information provided by Mr. Chmielewski, if accurate, leaves us certain that your leadership at EPA has been fraught with numerous and repeated unethical and potentially illegal actions on a wide range of consequential matters,” said the members of congress in their letter to Pruitt.
Those who signed the letter have also been Pruitt’s Democratic critics and accusers in the past including Sens. Thomas Carper of Delaware and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. Those in the House included Reps. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, Gerald Connolly of Virginia and Donald Beyer Jr. of Virginia.