EPA Administrator Pruitt Resigns

The polarizing tenure of Scott Pruitt as head of the Environmental Protection Agency has come to an end. President Donald Trump tweeted on Thursday afternoon that he’s “accepted the resignation of Scott Pruitt as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency,” noting that Pruitt has done a “good job within the Agency.” The Senate has already confirmed Deputy Administrator Andrew Wheeler, who will take over as the acting Administrator next week.

The departure of Pruitt follows months of scrutiny that gathered momentum following reports that Pruitt had rented a Capitol Hill condominium from an energy lobbyist on very favorable rental terms. There were already concerns about the high cost of Pruitt’s travel and security detail, as well as the allegations of Pruitt fostering a working environment filled with workplace retaliation and wasteful spending. The steady flow of news stories prompted multiple government agencies to inquiries into Pruitt and the agency, which still faces over a dozen probes into spending, ethics, and policy decisions.

From the National Association of Farm Broadcasters News Service