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A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 17 May 2019

Watchdog: EPA should recoup

travel money from Pruitt, guards

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER rare public resolution to posing conclusion from the
Associated Press one in a long series of eth- agency’s separately fund-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The ics allegations that led to ed watchdog officers.
Environmental Protection Pruitt’s resignation last July. “The agency in its review
Agency’s internal watch- The EPA inspector general unequivocally concluded
dog urged the agency on had ended some previous and determined that all
Thursday to look into recov- investigations, including costs associated with air-
ering $124,000 in premium one of his $50-a-night con- fare and travel in the re-
travel charges for former do deal with the spouse of port were valid and proper,
EPA head Scott Pruitt and a lobbyist, without making and appropriately, there is
his bodyguards. The EPA’s a ruling, saying Pruitt’s res- no action required to re-
inspector general rejected ignation had made it im- cover any costs,” Mitchell
Pruitt’s claims that secu- possible for investigators to said in a statement. The in-
In this May 16, 2018 file photo, then-Environmental Protection rity concerns warranted interview him. spector general looked at
Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt appears before a Senate the first- and business-class The travel questioned by 40 trips, including six that
Appropriations subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and
Related Agencies on budget on Capitol Hill in Washington. travel at taxpayer expense. the watchdog office in- were canceled, at a total
Associated Press The findings provided a cluded $16,000 in premi- cost of $985,000. The sum
um-class travel to Morocco included $430,000 for travel
and 16 trips that were ei- by Pruitt’s security detail
ther directly to or stopping alone. Pruitt was the first
in Pruitt’s hometown of Tul- EPA chief to require per-
sa, Oklahoma. manent round-the-clock
Calls to an Oklahoma num- protection, including hav-
ber for Pruitt went unan- ing a bodyguard with him
swered Thursday. when he traveled in the
Pruitt previously had de- premium front cabins of
nied allegations that he commercial planes. Pruitt’s
indulged in fancy goods unusual security cautions
and travel at government had also featured tactical
expense and abused his clothes and gear for his
office to gain sports tickets guards, motorcade travel
and other favors for himself to Washington appoint-
and his family. ments, sometimes with si-
The EPA, now led by for- rens blaring, and a $43,000
mer coal lobbyist Andrew soundproof booth for his
Wheeler, disputed many of calls at the EPA office. The
the watchdog office’s find- inspector general’s report
ings. It said in a statement said the EPA failed to doc-
that it believes the premi- ument any specific threats
um-class travel was war- that warranted the high
ranted and allowed by the level of protection and
rules and that reimburse- noted that “the agency
ment would be “inappro- could not provide docu-
priate.” mentation to support that
Cleta Mitchell, an attorney the former Administrator’s
and associate of Pruitt’s life was endangered when
who sometimes speaks on flying coach class.”
his behalf, noted that EPA Investigators recommend-
officials authorized and ed that the EPA tighten its
supported the expendi- travel procedures to guard
tures and Pruitt’s handling against any fraud and
of them, despite the op- wasteful spending.q