Lawmakers React To Pruitt's EPA Resignation

Reactions poured out Thursday for former Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt's decision to step down as EPA administrator. Pruitt's tenure had been plagued by scandal after scandal.

Deputy Administrator Andrew Wheeler will be in charge of the EPA until the Senate confirms a new one.

Scott Pruitt lasted almost 17 months as the top environmental enforcer in the nation but much of it was spent beating back waves of scandals.

When he resigned today, he was facing no fewer than 15 different ethical investigations ranging from improper spending, using public employees for personal errands to getting a 50 dollar a night apartment rental from the wife of a lobbyist who had business before the EPA.

In his resignation letter, Pruitt said serving as administrator was "an honor" and blamed "unrelenting attacks" on him and his family for his decision to step down.               

President Trump said there was no "final straw" and the decision to resign was entirely Pruitt's which was greeted positively by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.     

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders called Pruitt "the worst EPA administrator in history" and Iowa's Joni Ernst said it was time for him to go.        

Oklahoma's Jim Inhofe was more measured, saying in a statement:

"Scott Pruitt did great work to reduce the nations regulatory burdens facing our nation. He was single-minded at restoring the EPA to its proper statutory authority."

And in what may be the shortest reaction statement the non-partisan Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington simply responded "Good" to Pruitt's resignation.

Our statement on Pruitt's resignation: pic.twitter.com/ysFyAXcURm

— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) July 5, 2018