Tuesday, May 22, 2018 | 2 a.m.
View more of the Sun's opinion section
View more of the Sun's opinion section
Since taking office, President Donald Trump and his Cabinet have been plagued with scandals, with one of the most recent being that of Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt. A self-described “leading advocate against the EPA’s activist agenda,” Pruitt somehow ended up in charge of the agency he believes to be a hoax.
It has been no secret that Pruitt is not a supporter of climate science. During his time as Oklahoma’s attorney general, he distributed literature produced by energy lobbyists in an effort to fight Obama-era protections and, in writings of his own, questioned the “extent to which man contributes to climate change.” After proposing a 23 percent cut to the EPA’s budget, it has come to light that Pruitt has spent upward of $43,000 on a soundproof booth in his D.C. office, which is a short distance from his $50-a-day luxury condo provided to him by an energy lobbyist.
Trump is no friend of the environment, but he has made it clear what he does care about: himself and his legacy. He has struggled with his legitimacy, from an election in which he lost the popular vote to strong public opposition to his staff picks. Details have emerged about Housing and Urban Development head Ben Carson writing off tens of thousands of dollars for office redecorating while slashing his department’s budget. Nearly every original Cabinet member has resigned or been fired, and it is time to show this one the door, too.
