Pruitt dined with Cardinal Pell (a climate-denier accused of sexual abuse) – and then tried to cover it up

According to newly released emails obtained through an NRDC FOIA request, during his already controversial trip to Rome last summer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt had dinner with a Catholic cardinal who is a vocal climate denier. Perhaps more disturbing, Cardinal George Pell is also under investigation in Australia for sexual abuse. The administrator of the EPA then intentionally tried to cover up the meeting by keeping it off his official calendar. An agency spokesperson claims Pruitt knew nothing of the allegations against Pell, or even that Pell would be at the dinner, but emails show EPA officials passed information about the abuse accusations along to Pruitt beforehand. Multiple schedules that were later released with a list of attendees left off Pell’s name—a decision Pruitt’s former deputy chief-of-staff called a “no-brainer” for scandal control.