Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 11 april 2018
Dems: No evidence of credible threats against EPA’s Pruitt

By MICHAEL BIESECKER EPA or the Secret Service.
Associated Press The Associated Press re-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Con- ported Friday that EPA has
fidential security assess- spent about $3 million on
ments in the Environmental Pruitt’s security measures,
Protection Agency show which included flying first-
no evidence of specific, class and using a full-time
credible, physical threats security detail of 20 armed
against Administrator Scott officers.
Pruitt, despite claims that EPA spokesman Jahan Wil-
an “unprecedented” num- cox said last week there
ber of death threats justify had been an “unprece-
his outsized security spend- dented” amount of death
ing, according to a review threats against Pruitt and
by Senate Democrats. his family. Wilcox doubled
Democrats on the Senate down on that assertion
Environment and Public Tuesday, but did not im-
Works Committee wrote in mediately respond to a
a letter Tuesday that they request from AP to release
have reviewed security as- details of the specific inci-
sessments describing 16 dents to which he was re-
purported threats against ferring.
Pruitt. They include public President Donald Trump
protests, criticism of Pruitt’s defended Pruitt in a tweet Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt, right, listens as President Donald Trump
policies and other activi- Saturday night, downplay- speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Monday, April 9, 2018, in Washington.
Associated Press
ties protected by the First ing the ethical questions
Amendment. swirling around his embat- Homeland Security Intel- vironment and Public Works member heading his se-
The letter from Sens. Tom tled EPA chief. He added ligence that concluded Committee to conduct curity detail and replaced
Carper of Delaware and that Pruitt’s security spend- “EPA Intelligence has not effective oversight of the him with EPA Senior Special
Sheldon Whitehouse of ing “somewhat more” than identified any specific, EPA to answer the serious Agent Pasquale “Nino” Per-
Rhode Island urged the prior EPA chiefs, but said credible, direct threat to questions that have come rotta, a former Secret Ser-
committee’s Republican Pruitt had received death the EPA administrator.” to light in recent days con- vice agent who operates
majority to begin oversight threats “because of his The internal review said an cerning management and a private security com-
hearings into Pruitt’s unusu- bold actions at EPA.” earlier threat assessment by ethical conduct by the ad- pany. Perrotta oversaw a
al security precautions. The Democrats said they Pruitt’s security team “does ministrator and his staff,” rapid expansion of the EPA
Committee Chairman John found no records de- not employ sound analy- Carper and Whitehouse chief’s security detail to ac-
Barrasso quickly rebuffed scribing specific, credible sis or articulate relevant said in a joint statement. commodate guarding him
that request, saying no threats against Pruitt. An ‘threat specific’ informa- Caraballo could not be day and night, even on
hearing on Pruitt’s secu- internal EPA document tion appropriate to draw reached for comment family vacations and when
rity procedures will be held. recounted such threat as any resource or level of Tuesday. Pruitt was home in Oklaho-
The Wyoming Republican attempts by protesters to threat conclusions regard- The AP reported Friday ma.
lashed out at his Demo- disrupt a speech and a ing the protection posture that Pruitt’s concern with Perrotta also signed off on
cratic colleagues, accus- post card sent to Pruitt that for the administrator.” his safety came at a steep new procedures that let
ing Carper and Whitehouse said: “CLIMATE CHANGE IS Politico first reported Tues- cost to taxpayers as his Pruitt fly first-class on com-
of selectively quoting the REAL!!! We are watching day that the career EPA swollen security detail blew mercial airliners, with the
documents and improperly you.” security staffer who wrote through overtime budgets security chief typically sit-
disclosing “law enforce- The Democrats also ob- the February memo, Mario and at times diverted offi- ting next to him with other
ment sensitive information” tained a Feb. 14 assess- Caraballo, was fired shortly cers away from investigat- security staff farther back in
without the approval of ment from EPA’s Office of after the Democrats’ ac- ing environmental crimes. the plane. Pruitt’s premium
count of it became public. Pruitt’s 20-member full-time status gave him and his se-
He was the deputy associ- detail is more than three curity chief access to VIP
ate administrator of EPA’s times the size of his prede- airport lounges.
Office of Homeland Secu- cessor’s part-time security Pruitt has said his use of first-
Paradise in the Caribbean rity. contingent. class airfare was initiated
Asked about Caraballo’s EPA’s inspector general is following unpleasant inter-
dismissal, EPA suggested currently auditing Pruitt’s actions with other travel-
the timing was a coinci- security spending — one ers. In one incident, some-
dence. of at least five ongoing one yelled profanity as he
“I am not aware of any probes by the agency’s walked through the airport.
connection between the watchdog into spending A nationwide search of
personnel matter and the and ethics issues surround- state and federal court
document mentioned in ing the administrator. A records by AP found no
media reports,” said Donna GOP-led House oversight case where anyone has
Vizian, the principal deputy committee is also investi- been arrested or charged
assistant administrator for gating Pruitt’s travel spend- with making violent threats
administration, according ing and the administrator’s against Pruitt.
to a statement released by bargain-priced rental of In November, BuzzFeed
Pruitt’s staff. a $50-a-night Capitol Hill News investigative reporter
The Democratic senators condo tied to a fossil fuels Jason Leopold filed a pub-
called Caraballo’s firing lobbyist. lic records request with
“deeply troubling.” Shortly after arriving in EPA for copies of govern-
SALES OFFICE +297 2801005 info@leventaruba.com “This development under- Washington, Pruitt, 49, de- ment records about death
MOBILE +297 5927275 www.leventaruba.com scores the need for the En- moted the career staff threats to Pruitt. q