EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt told senators at a hearing Wednesday morning that he does not remember ordering his motorcade to use lights and sirens to cut through Washington, D.C.’s notorious traffic in non-emergency situations — such as a visit to the tony French restaurant Le Diplomate.
In response, the committee’s top Democrat, Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) submitted for the public record an email from Pruitt’s former security chief Pasquale “Nino” Perrotta in February that states clearly that Pruitt “encourages the use” of lights and sirens.
On Wednesday, Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) wrote to the Inspector General’s office at the EPA asking for yet another investigation into the sirens and other unusual security measures, noting that the agency has ignored their requests for information. They cited an anonymous complaint that reached them regarding Perotta and Pruitt, and urged the IG to investigate even though Perotta has since quit the EPA.
Read the full letter below:
It used to be the case that there were consequences for lying to Congress.
Jeff already set the ‘I do not recall’ standard…or was that St. Ronald?
Jiminy crickets, he lied again. Color me surprised and shocked!!
Lights and siren makes him feel important.
Seriously, what “emergency” use would the EPA Administrator have for needing lights and siren to get anywhere? Let’s say the EPA Administrator was somebody who acually cared about preotecting the environment from human depredation, and there was, say, a 10 alarm toxic landfill suddenly discovered a mile from EPA Headquarters, it’s not like the EPA Administrator is some kind of first responder or something.
Having lights and siren on your official vehicle must be some peculiar DC kind of “penile enhancment”.
I watched as much of the hearing as I could stand, which was not much. When asked about the lights and sirens he mumbled something about adhering to the policy on lights. (There must be a separate policy on sirens alone, and another on lights and sirens together, and a third on sirens and lights together.)