There’s been plenty of controversy surrounding President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed cabinet – and it seems like there’s still plenty to go around in week number two.
Scott Pruitt, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for head of the Environmental Protection Agency is being opposed from all sides of environmental groups, like California billionaire Tom Steyer’s climate advocacy group NextGen Climate, and even more historically established groups like the Sierra Club.
Perhaps most alarming, is Washington D.C.-based environmental group, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, warned that a Pruitt-led EPA could lead to "more public health crises such as occured in Flint, Michigan."
On the other hand, Pruitt has made plenty of friends in the fossil fuel industry, and they are coming to his defense. Politico reported that energy companies and their executives “have poured hundreds of thousands of dollars” into PACs and super PACs to support Pruitt's nomination.
Politico obtained a flier put out by a dark money 501(c)(4) group, Protecting America Now, that warns that Pruitt’s confirmation “is not a certainty” and asks for millions in campaign contributions to counter anti-Pruitt campaigning from “anti-business, environmental extremists.” There’s a long list of other lobbyists and, dark money groups and super PACs potential willing to defend Pruitt as well.
The reason for the tug-of-war over Pruitt has to do with his past dealings with the EPA as the Attorney General of Oklahoma. In that role, Pruitt made a name for himself as one of the major thorns in the side of the Obama Administration’s EPA – Suing them (or attempting to sue them) as often as possible.
Scott Pruitt, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for head of the Environmental Protection Agency is being opposed from all sides of environmental groups, like California billionaire Tom Steyer’s climate advocacy group NextGen Climate, and even more historically established groups like the Sierra Club.
Perhaps most alarming, is Washington D.C.-based environmental group, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, warned that a Pruitt-led EPA could lead to "more public health crises such as occured in Flint, Michigan."
On the other hand, Pruitt has made plenty of friends in the fossil fuel industry, and they are coming to his defense. Politico reported that energy companies and their executives “have poured hundreds of thousands of dollars” into PACs and super PACs to support Pruitt's nomination.
Politico obtained a flier put out by a dark money 501(c)(4) group, Protecting America Now, that warns that Pruitt’s confirmation “is not a certainty” and asks for millions in campaign contributions to counter anti-Pruitt campaigning from “anti-business, environmental extremists.” There’s a long list of other lobbyists and, dark money groups and super PACs potential willing to defend Pruitt as well.
The reason for the tug-of-war over Pruitt has to do with his past dealings with the EPA as the Attorney General of Oklahoma. In that role, Pruitt made a name for himself as one of the major thorns in the side of the Obama Administration’s EPA – Suing them (or attempting to sue them) as often as possible.