New TV Ad Highlights Scott Pruitt’s Misleading Testimony

(Washington, D.C. – January 31, 2017) EDF Action today launched a new TV ad that shows Scott Pruitt’s evasive answers to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee about fundraising from major energy interests.

Committee members are scheduled to vote on Pruitt’s nomination to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tomorrow. Pruitt’s murky responses to questions at his confirmation hearing raise questions about his ability to impartially enforce environmental laws against his long-time political allies.

Under questioning from Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Oklahoma Attorney General Pruitt claimed he did not raise funds from several companies he would regulate at EPA, including Devon Energy. Open records documents show that, in fact, his top aide deployed Devon in fundraising. And in written answers provided to the Senate eleven days after the hearing, Pruitt also admitted raising funds from other large energy interests, contradicting the spirit of his answers to Sen. Whitehouse.

“Scott Pruitt has raised a lot of money from big energy interests – and then dodged questions and mislead the Senate when asked about it,” said Elizabeth Thompson, President of EDF Action. “This raises serious issues about getting forthright information from Mr. Pruitt, as well as issues about his ability to impartially enforce laws that protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the health of our kids.”

Pruitt has already been under scrutiny for suing EPA at least fourteen times to block clean air and water safeguards – and raising funds from the companies who would benefit from the looser pollution rules. In thirteen of those cases, Pruitt even received political contributions from the companies that sued alongside him, raising further ethical issues.

Pruitt built his political career fighting against the very clean air and water rules he would be asked to enforce at EPA. The former EPA Administrator under President George W. Bush, Christine Todd Whitman, said Pruitt was “disdainful of the agency and the science behind what the agency does.”

Pruitt is the first EPA nominee ever opposed by EDF Action or our sister organization, Environmental Defense Fund.

You can see the new TV ad here.