Pruitt soups up SUV on the taxpayers’ dime

Reports from inside the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Administrator Scott Pruitt continue to sound like a television crime drama: shady deals with industry lobbyists, a soundproof (and illegal) phone booth for top-secret calls, a bullet-proof desk, and an oversized security entourage. But there’s more: Recent records show that Pruitt passed on the Chevrolet Tahoe typically provided to agency administrators, and opted instead for a more expensive, souped-up Suburban, which went so far as to include an all-leather interior, WiFi, and, of course, Kevlar seat covers. Meanwhile, the EPA is still paying for the less-conspicuous ride used by its last administrator, as it sits parked at EPA headquarters. The news is just the latest example of Pruitt’s extravagant use of the EPA budget on almost anything but, you know, protecting the environment.