On the heels of ABC News’ revelation that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt lived at the beginning of his tenure in a townhouse connected to a major energy lobbyist, the outlet broke a bizarre story on Friday about his security detail breaking down the door of the townhouse, convinced that Pruitt was unconscious inside. Instead, they found a discombobulated and disgruntled Pruitt waking up from a nap.
The event reportedly occurred on March 29, 2017, when Pruitt’s security detail contacted Capitol Police after receiving no response to their frantic knocking on the door. Pruitt’s security smashed through the glass windows in the door and sprinted up two flights of stairs to find the administrator unharmed in his bed, according to ABC.
It is unclear what caused the panic. The EPA reimbursed Vicki Hart, part-owner, healthcare lobbyist and wife of energy lobbyist Steven Hart, for the damage to the door, ABC reported.
On Thursday, ABC uncovered property records linking the lobbyist couple to the property Pruitt occupied for the first six months of his time in Washington. Steven Hart is the CEO of Williams & Jensen, a prominent D.C. lobbying firm that has done extensive work in energy-related issues, including leading the effort to repeal the crude-oil ban instituted during the Obama administration. Additionally, Hart works as legal counsel for the NRA.
