By Michael Steele
April 10, 2018
In a crowded field of career politicians — whom Donald Trump said were all beholden to a rigged system of paybacks and favors — the billionaire stood alone as a Washington outsider, promising to give the government back to the people. Trump was so rich, his pitch went, that he didn’t owe anything to any political party or special interest and, therefore, would be loyal to the American people. He promised to “drain the swamp” and it resonated. Many Americans — especially those in the middle of the country — who had long felt overlooked or discarded by Washington, were energized by Donald Trump’s candidacy and propelled him to an historically improbable victory. But last week, many Trump supporters were left scratching their heads as things started looking awfully swampy at the Environmental Protection Agency. Over the course of a few days, we learned that married lobbyists from Oklahoma had supplied administrator Scott Pruitt a sweetheart deal on a Capitol Hill apartment even as one of them had business before the EPA. We also learned that EPA gave big pay increases to two of Pruitt’s favorite young staffers from Oklahoma even after the White House had opposed doing so. There is no way around it: these revelations about the EPA administrator paint a picture of a Cabinet official who is out of touch with his responsibilities as a public servant; who has little consideration for the judicious use of taxpayer dollars; and, who has no sense of the impropriety within his agency. Worse yet, now any action taken by the EPA is potentially tainted by these ethics scandals.
For example, news broke last week that more than one month ago, the EPA began issuing waivers — in secret — to some of the largest petroleum refiners around the country, allowing them to ignore rules governing the blending of renewable biofuels into the nation’s transportation fuel supply. The waivers, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, are being given to many of the nation’s largest refiners under the pretense that those refiners are experiencing “economic hardship” but many of those same refiners are posting massive profits. A refiner reportedly saved over $50 million dollars with the waiver while posting annual profits of $1.5 billion last year. But, Mr. Pruitt’s EPA has not released any information about the waivers, who authorized them, or the process used to issue them. One refiner said: “the EPA was handing out those exemptions like trick or treat candy. Anyone with a brain submitted an application.” So, is it any wonder that American farmers and domestic biofuels producers who are being hurt by this EPA decision, are now questioning the integrity of this policy change? After all, Scott Pruitt’s overly generous landlord is also a lobbyist who represents petroleum interests. In October 2016, then-candidate Trump tweeted his intention to “Make Our Government honest Again” but first he would have to “drain the swamp”. Well, if the President meant what he said and we are to take him seriously, then it is time for Scott Pruitt to leave the EPA. Besides being good politics for the White House, it is in the best interest of ensuring the public’s confidence in the Trump administration and restoring confidence in the idea of public service.
Note: Michael Steele is the former Republican National Committee chairman and former lieutenant governor of Maryland.
