New Site Lays Bare EPA Nominee Scott Pruitt’s Tangled Web of Fundraising and Lawsuits
Nominee, Who Has Repeatedly Sued EPA, Routinely Took Political Contributions from Co-Litigators
Contact:
(Washington, D.C. – January 13, 2017) Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt has sued fourteen times to block clean air and water safeguards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – the agency he has been nominated to lead.
New research shows that, in every suit except one, at least one of Pruitt’s co-litigators contributed to Pruitt’s campaign or a PAC affiliated with Pruitt — directly, or via an employee or member. You can find full details about those lawsuits and donations on EDF Action’s new web page.
“We already know Mr. Pruitt is a staunch opponent of safeguards that reduce mercury, arsenic, and smog pollution – but we are learning more everyday about his tight alliance with polluting industries,” said Elizabeth Thompson, president of EDF Action. “Scott Pruitt has built a network of political operations funded by the companies who gained the most from the lawsuits he filed as Attorney General. The ethical cloud surrounding Pruitt should be a top focus of Senators as they consider his nomination to lead an agency that depends on integrity and impartiality. Suing EPA may have been a boon for Pruitt’s fundraising from the companies he teamed up with, but it should be a ‘stop’ sign for his nomination to lead the EPA.”
The co-litigators in 13 of Pruitt’s 14 lawsuits against EPA include some of the biggest polluters in the nation, who stand to gain the most by blocking EPA action on clean air and clean water.
In the remaining instance, Oklahoma sued on its own and had no co-litigators. However even in this instance, the outside counsel at the private law firm representing the state in the case – who was hired by Pruitt — contributed money to a Pruitt-affiliated PAC.
In many instances, co-litigators also contributed to the Republican Attorney General Association – an organization that Pruitt turned into a fundraising powerhouse as past chairman, raising money from energy industry interests at the same time he submitted their comments to EPA, nearly word for word, on Oklahoma Attorney General letterhead.
EDF Action has never before opposed a candidate for EPA Administrator. But Mr. Pruitt’s record and principles are so dangerous we are strongly opposing his confirmation.
Find more on our new web page, or by watching our recent video.
