Ethics Watchdog Group Seeks Probe Into Pruitt’s Travel At Taxpayer Expense

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt speaks to the media during the daily briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, June 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
FILE - In this June 2, 2017, file photo, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt speaks to the media during the daily briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington. Newly obtained emails underscor... FILE - In this June 2, 2017, file photo, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt speaks to the media during the daily briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington. Newly obtained emails underscore just how closely Pruitt coordinated with fossil fuel companies while serving as Oklahoma’s state attorney general, a position in which he frequently sued to block federal efforts to curb planet-warming carbon emissions. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File) MORE LESS
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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An ethics watchdog group has filed a complaint asking for an investigation into Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt’s frequent flights to his home state of Oklahoma at taxpayer expense.

The group American Oversight sent a letter Thursday to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel asking for an investigation into whether Pruitt violated federal rules by using government resources to travel to Oklahoma for “personal or political reasons.”

Records released by the EPA in response to an open-records request show Pruitt traveled to Oklahoma at least 10 times during his first three months as EPA chief at a cost of more than $15,000.

Pruitt was in Oklahoma again Thursday. Oklahoma City television station KOKH reported that Pruitt said the criticism of his travel was an unfair attack by an “alt-EPA.”

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