By Ted Barrett
The Senate is set Friday to confirm Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency, an agency Republicans desperately want to rein in after what they charge was eight years of dangerous activism under the Obama administration that hurt businesses, jobs and the economy.
Pruitt maybe just the person to do it. As Oklahoma attorney general he sued the agency many times in that pursuit and has vowed to curb the EPA’s regulatory reach once in office.
“He’s exceptionally qualified,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. “He’s dedicated to environmental protection. And, as someone with state government experience, he understands the real-world consequences of EPA actions and knows that balance is the key to making policies that are sustainable over the long-term.”
The 12:30 p.m. Senate vote comes a day after a federal judge ruled the Oklahoma attorney general’s office must turn over thousands of emails related to Pruitt’s communications with fossil fuel companies, which have a large presence in his state.
Environmental activists and many Democrats wanted to delay the confirmation vote until those emails are released — probably sometime next week — but Republicans had no interest in a delay, especially after Democrats deliberately slow-walked the confirmation process for many of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet.
“This transparency is essential to fair consideration of Pruitt’s nomination,” said Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, a vocal Pruitt critic. “This is an egregious cover up that must not stand.”
In a last fit of protest, Democrats kept the Senate in session overnight so they could make speeches about their concerns with Pruitt and his close ties to the oil and gas industry.
At a press conference Friday, Merkley repeated calls to delay the vote. He said the first batch of emails will be released on Tuesday, with a second batch released on February 26. They scanned documents will be transferred to the Center for Media and Democracy, then the Senate will get copies. So Democrats originally requesting the vote be postponed until March 3, but that request was denied.
Democrats are also looking to extend debate until February 27, when they return from recess, a motion that is expected to be defeated.
In an extraordinary lobbying blitz against Pruitt, the labor union that represents EPA employees urged their members to call senators and urge them to vote against Pruitt.
Pruitt is expected to be confirmed on a largely party line vote with just three senators crossing over. Democratic senators Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who both the represent energy producing states, will vote for him. While moderate Republican Susan Collins of Maine will vote against.
The Senate is scheduled to begin a week long recess after votes Friday and will return to confirm more Cabinet nominees when they return.
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