Representative Carlos Curbelo (R-Florida) took to Twitter on Tuesday to call on Scott Pruitt to resign from his role as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, or else for President Donald Trump to fire him.
Major policy differences aside, @EPAScottPruitt‘s corruption scandals are an embarrassment to the Administration, and his conduct is grossly disrespectful to American taxpayers. It's time for him to resign or for @POTUS to dismiss him. https://t.co/gXWLDffqam
— Carlos Curbelo (@carloslcurbelo) April 3, 2018
Curbelo appears to be the first Republican in Congress to demand Pruitt’s removal, according to the Hill.
Pruitt is currently embroiled in a series of controversies. The Atlantic reported on Tuesday that Pruitt skirted White House policy in order to give two staff members raises, and the Washington Post reported that one of those staffers helped Pruitt look for an apartment—a violation of White House ethics rules, as federal officials cannot task subordinates with duties of a more personal nature.
These allegations followed other reports that Pruitt had rented a condo from the wife of an energy lobbyist for just $50 a night, and was charged only for those nights he actually stayed in the apartment. His apparent propensity for first-class travel has also drawn scrutiny.
Trump has stood by Pruitt, telling the EPA administrator that “we have your back,” according to multiple reports.
This isn’t the first time Curbelo has criticized Pruitt. The two have clashed in the past over climate change policies (which Pruitt generally wants to repeal) and over climate science (which Pruitt is generally skeptical of), the Hill reports.
