Pruitt an embarrassment

Scott Pruitt was appointed to secretary of the EPA by Trump because he is both a climate change denier and, while in Oklahoma, spent his career as attorney general challenging EPA regulations in court on behalf of his friends in the fossil fuel industry. So, now he is rolling back regulations that prevent pollution and are designed to safeguard our air and water, ridding the agency of scientists and deliberately refusing to defend the agency's budget.

But, additionally, he's unethical in spending on splurging for his office improvements, a "secure" phone booth, armored cars, first-class airline tickets, questionable trips, meetings with industry lobbyists, large security details, "special" lodging arrangements in lobbyists condo, use of two personal email accounts and massive and illegal pay raises for his pals he brought to the agency from Oklahoma.

And, when asked in Congress and by reporters about all of this questionable activity and spending, either Pruit denies it happened or says it is "necessary."

Only in Trumpworld.

Tom Minnerick

Elgin