Witch Hunt on Pruitt at the EPA

Fox News' Ed Henry appears to be working hard to help the Dems force Scott Pruitt out as head of the EPA. EPA Chief Scott Pruitt responded to Ed Henry's claims on Fox News that Pruitt is guilty of ethics violations. The interview got a little "combative," according to Ed Henry, formerly of CNN.

The EPA chief defended his leadership. He claims he is getting all this flak from Democrats because he has managed to cut back on environmental regulations. Pruitt has no need to sweat, according to President Trump, who called his EPA administrator Monday to tell him he "has his back" and to "keep fighting."

Ed Henry asked Pruitt about reports that he asked for pay raises for two of his aides last month.

After Henry asked: "If you're committed to the Trump agenda, why did you go around the President and the White House and give pay raises to two staffers?" Pruitt interjected: "I did not."

"My staff did and I found out about that yesterday and I changed it," Pruitt told Fox News. When Henry asked if somebody would be fired over it, Pruitt replied: "There will be some accountability on that."

Pruitt is also facing unflattering media headlines from Fox News and other mainstream media outlets about his use of private jets and his living arrangements. This week new reports suggested he rented a Capitol Hill condo from a lobbyist's wife for just $50 a day.

Fair and balanced Fox News seems a little less fair and balanced, these days. With guys like Shep Smith, Juan Williams, Ed Henry, and Neal Cavuto, who needs enemies?

If Fox had done its homework and reviewed the EPA's own files, they would find Pruitt is spending LESS than his counterparts under Obama and the Capitol Hill condo was market value.

Here's how EPA Director Pruitt's travel expenses compared to Obama's EPA Directors. There is virtually NO difference. In fact, Obama's EPA Directors were quite extravagant. The witch hunt is about removing Pruitt because he is dismantling regulations. Not only that, but Pruitt is facing daily death threats!

Pruitt's travel/security costs for 2017: $160k
Gina McCarthy's travel/security costs for 2013-16: $630k
Lisa Jackson's travel/security costs for 2009-12: $332k

On the lease costs, which were MARKET VALUE, here is the direct quote from memo issued from EPA principal deputy general counsel Kevin Minoli on March 30:

"The Ethics Office [staffed by career officials] reviewed the lease agreement. Under the terms of the lease, if the space was utilized for one 30-day month, then the rental cost would be $1500, which is a reasonable market value." And more: "Therefore, entering into the lease was consistent with federal ethics regulations regarding gifts, and use of the property in accordance with the lease agreement did not constitute a gift a defined in those regulations."

Pruitt's G7 Summit
--Italy: 84k
--Morocco: 40k

McCarthy in 2016
--Ghana: 68k
--Peru: 45k
--Tokyo: 75k

McCarthy in 2015
--Paris: 41k
--Dubai: 90k
--Tokyo: 68k
--Italy: 56k (a trip that, like Pruitt, involved a private tour of Vatican)

McCarthy in 2014:
--Vancouver: 62k
--Vietnam: 68k

McCarthy in 2013:
--China: 55k

Jackson in 2012:
--Israel: 65k

Jackson in 2011:
--Rio De Janeiro: 60k
--Montreal: 51k
--China: 156k (wow).

-Kimberley Strassel, WSJ, from published EPA records.