Scott Pruitt upside down (photo – DonkeyHotey.).
Scandal-plagued EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt finally resigned today, after weathering scores of likely ethics violations (at least 14 federal investigations are looking into his conduct in office). It’s even possible he’ll be facing criminal charges based on some of his actions, particularly allegations that his office doctored public records related to his schedule and hid emails from the public.
By Ethan Elkind
Meanwhile, his resignation letter reveals his belief that God helped Trump get elected and also put Pruitt in his position of power — a hubris that likely contributed to his lavish lifestyle while in office:
Mr. President, it has been an honor to serve you in the Cabinet as Administrator of the EPA. Truly, your confidence in me has blessed me personally and enabled me to advance your agenda beyond what anyone anticipated at the beginning of your Administration. Your courage, steadfastness and resolute commitment to get results for the American people, both with regard to improved environmental outcomes as well as historical regulatory reform, is in fact occurring at an unprecedented pace and I thank you for the opportunity to serve you and the American people in helping achieve those ends.
That is why it is hard for me to advise you I am stepping down as Administrator of the EPA effective as of July 6. It is extremely difficult for me to cease serving you in this role first because I count it a blessing to be serving you in any capacity, but also, because of the transformative work that is occurring. However, the unrelenting attacks on me personally, my family, are unprecedented and have taken a sizable toll on all of us.
My desire in service to you has always been to bless you as you make important decisions for the American people. I believe you are serving as President today because of God’s providence. I believe that same providence brought me into your service. I pray as I have served you that I have blessed you and enabled you to effectively lead the American people. Thank you again Mr. President for the honor of serving you and I wish you Godspeed in all that you put your hand to.
Your Faithful Friend,
Scott Pruitt
From a good government perspective, it’s a win that Pruitt is out. It’s also a credit to investigative journalism that surfaced many of these scandals.
But from an environmental perspective, it actually may be a loss. Pruitt was deeply tied to industry and hostile to environmental protection. But he was tremendously incompetent at actually laying the evidence-based case for regulatory rollbacks, instead focusing on splashy press conferences to make it look like a new policy was actually going into effect. Instead, many of his efforts are likely to be reversed by the courts.
His temporary successor, deputy administrator Andrew Wheeler, is likely to be much smarter about regulatory rollbacks, as my colleague Sean Hecht writes on Legal Planet:
Pruitt’s replacement (at least for now), Andrew Wheeler, is certain to continue the anti-regulatory, anti-science slant of this EPA. In addition to being a coal industry lobbyist, Wheeler was chief of staff for many years for Sen. James Inhofe, who was been the Senate’s strongest voice against climate science and environmental protection. His views in opposition to strong environmental and public health protection are widely known. At the same time, Wheeler has a reputation for being more careful than Pruitt, and also for understanding the workings of the agency. This should mean that he will be less likely to break agency norms and alienate staff. But from a policy perspective, Wheeler’s ascension to this role will surely continue the path Pruitt has been on since he was confirmed, and possibly be even more effective. Regardless, it’s sure to be an interesting time at EPA.
We’ll see what happens on the policy front. But in the meantime at least, all who care about good government should celebrate this departure.
Ethan Elkind directs the climate program at UC Berkeley Law, with a joint appointment at UCLA Law. His book “Railtown” was published by the University of California Press.
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