An Environmental Protection Agency ethics official said that he did not have all the facts when he approved Administrator Scott Pruitt’s rental situation, according to a Politico report on Thursday.
A memo from Kevin Minoli, the ethics official who reviewed Mr. Pruitt’s day-to-day lease agreement, said that the arrangement was allowed by the agency’s standards based off comparable rental prices in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Mr. Pruitt’s arrangement has become a source of controversy after it was revealed that the condo where he rented a room was owned by an energy lobbyist.
Mr. Minoli said that he did not have access to all the information involving Mr. Pruitt’s lease, particularly a clause involving “appearance concerns.” Renting from a lobbyist involved in the field related to his agency could pose a problem.
Mr. Pruitt has maintained he did nothing wrong and that ethics officials agree the arrangement was within appropriate bounds within his position.
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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