Scott Pruitt is back , sister — and as unpopular as ever . Trump ’s former EPA decision maker , who was forced to resign after just a year and a half in power , announced on Fridaythat he intend to ladder for a special election for U.S. Senate in Oklahoma this year . Reportedly , no one — even his former colleagues — is very unrestrained about this . Sad for Scott !
In pillowcase you need a admonisher , Pruitt ’s term of office at the EPA was riddled by some of theweirdest scandalsof the Trump governing . In addition to along listof ridiculous disbursal — include billing up more than $ 832,000 for circular - the - clock security during the first three months of his tenure , spending $ 43,000 on asoundproof roomin his office , and drop thou of dollar mark on first - class flights — Pruitt also demanded his security squad take him around Washington , D.C. to receive his favoritelotion(from the Ritz - Carlton , natch ) , as well as enlisting an adjutant to judge and corrupt a usedmattress ( ? ? ) from the Trump International Hotel ( ? ? ? ) . He also finagle a pretty sweet deal torenta bedchamber on Capitol Hill for just $ 50 a night — fashion below market charge per unit — from the married woman of a dodo fuel lobbyist , while also reportedly usingsirensand flashing twinkle to get around the city quicker ( a fringe benefit usually set aside for the Chief Executive ) . Totally normal stuff and nonsense !
As funny as all his guile were , they should n’t detract from remembering just how much of a peck Pruitt stimulate during his scant class and a one-half in boot . Pruitt , who haddeep ties to(and thousands of dollar in safari contributions from ) the fossil fuel diligence , was , after all , prefer by Trump to act as a kind of Irish bull in a china shop when it came to environmental insurance policy , and heperformed beautifully . Fromfilling scientific advisory boardswith industriousness hacks , tolying about clime changeon national television , to weakening scientific rule thatprotected communities of colorfrom pollution , to roll back crucial emissions regulations in power plants andautos — Pruitt did it all and more .
Pruitt in April 2018.Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais (AP)
Incredibly , Pruitt is putting his chapeau in the game to supercede not just any honest-to-goodness senator , but climate denial lobby - of - famer Jim Inhofe , who famouslybrought a snowballonto the floor of the Senate to demonstrate how mood alteration is n’t substantial ( okay ) . The 87 - year - old Inhofe , who has served in the Senate for more than 20 years , announce in Februarythat he will retire at the goal of this year , four geezerhood before his term officially ends , triggering a exceptional election . Pruittpicked several ex - Inhofe staffersto attend to in the EPA with him ; he also was n’t diffident about his dream to run for office while he was influence at EPA . It make sense that he ’s now gunning to replace his denier persona poser , scandals be damned , and make certain that soiled interests keep throw a voice in the Senate ( the crude oil and gas pedal industry has been Inhofe’stop military campaign contributorover the course of his calling , kicking him more than $ 2.3 million ) . Pruitt has already made some inroad with industriousness power players , reportedlyreaching out to two coal chief operating officer in recent weeks for support . ( The race to replace Inhofe is already pretty crowded , and Rep. Markwayne Mullin , who has announced he will run for the buns , has already gotmore than $ 80,000from the oil and gas industry in campaign contributions for this election cycle alone , so the diligence can believably rest assured that it ’ll stay well - represented . )
But all this does n’t necessarily mean that Pruitt will succeed in getting his foot in the Senate door . E&Ereported last calendar month thatPruitt is n’t exactly popular with his honest-to-god colleagues and folks in Oklahoma , thanks in part to the lead of scandals he left in his wake when he pop off Washington , D.C. in 2018 after Trump inquire for his surrender . The E&E while is satiate with some pretty scathing quote from anon. and on - the - record author likewise , which I ’ll just name here for purgation purposes :
“ Inhofe never put himself before the multitude — Pruitt fail to memorise that lesson . … Pruitt is just an unhelpful distraction [ in the Senate race ] . ”
“ Does he really have that picayune self - consciousness ? ”
“ It ’s concentrated to key how nuts he is and egotistic and selfish . I think he ’s stirring the pot and planting this stuff because literally no one is talking about him . ”
“ There ’s nothing that could gear up that amount of delusion . ”
Yikes ! And that ’s to say nothing of the opinion of the serviceman himself : “ I ’m not his big fan , ” Inhofetold reportersof Pruitt in March . Give me a second to rupture out the earth ’s small fiddle for our dear pal Scott .
Legislaturesoklahomascott pruittTrumpu.s . senate
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