EPA Beefs Up Ethics Office as Pruitt’s Troubles Multiply

The Environmental Protection Agency is hiring for ethics positions as its chief ethics official has grown more concerned about mounting reports of misconduct by Administrator Scott Pruitt. An agency spokesman on Tuesday confirmed to Government Executive the existence of a letter to the government-wide Office of Government Ethics sent on June 27 from Kevin Minoli, deputy general counsel, and designated agency ethics official, acknowledging multiple referrals of complaints about Pruitt’s behavior to the inspector general. The New York Times had reported on Saturday that Minoli had reversed an earlier stance largely defending Pruitt against such accusations as accepting inexpensive lodging from a lobbyist, overuse of first-class travel, and overspending on personal security.