EPA's Scott Pruitt got waiver to fly business class on foreign carrier from Italy to U.S.

[riversedge]

Source: CBS





By Julianna Goldman CBS News February 13, 2018, 7:13 PM



WASHINGTON -- EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt..............................................

CBS News has learned that when Pruitt returned home from Milan on June 11, he flew on Emirates Airlines, whose business class cabins are some of the world's most luxurious, complete with an onboard lounge that promises what the airline calls a "truly unique journey."

To take the flight, Pruitt needed special dispensation. Government officials are bound by the Fly America Act, which requires them to "use U.S. air carrier service for all air travel… funded by the U.S. government."

Sources have told CBS News that Pruitt regularly flies in first class along with his unprecedented, round-the-clock, security detail. The costs of their travel has not been made available.

A certificate justifying the return flight from Milan that the EPA provided to CBS News said Pruitt flew on a foreign carrier because it was the only available flight "that would get the administrator back in time" to attend a Cabinet meeting with President Trump the next day. .........................................

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/epas-scott-pruitt-got-waiver-to-fly-business-class-on-non-u-s-carrier-from-italy-to-u-s/

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Link to tweet

EPA’s Scott Pruitt blames security for first-class flights
http://www.unionleader.com/politics/epas-scott-pruitt-blames-security-concerns-for-costly-first-class-flights-20180213



By MICHAEL COUSINEAU
New Hampshire Union Leader
February 13. 2018 8:51PM


MANCHESTER - Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt said security decisions made by others have dictated he fly first class or on military jets at taxpayer expense.

“Unfortunately, ... we've had some incidents on travel dating back to when I first started serving in the March-April timeframe,” Pruitt said during an interview at the New Hampshire Union Leader on Tuesday.

“We live in a very toxic environment politically, particularly around issues of the environment,” said Pruitt, who confirmed he flew first class from the Washington area to Boston to reach New Hampshire.

“We've reached the point where there's not much civility in the marketplace and it's created, you know, it's created some issues and the (security) detail, the level of protection is determined by the level of threat.”.............................

Link to tweet

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. so much projection, Scott - toxic, uncivil - that sounds about right for you and your cabal

[Blue_Tires]

2. When does the "Drain the Swamp" start? I can't tell anymore...

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

3. To be clear, here's what the EPA's director got for his (taxpayers') money on Emirates

If he flew the A380, that means he flew on an aircraft made by the European company Airbus. Emirates also has a Boeing 777, but it's not as nice as the A380.

Here's business class on the Boeing:

How plebeian.

Also, having your personal security squad must be the latest status symbol in Washington. Don't tell Zinke -- all he has is a flag.

[IronLionZion]

4. Oh yeah, well starving Americans will get a box of garbage food delivered

since we can't afford to let them have fresh fruits and vegetables

We must all make sacrifices in life and Scott Pruitt was cutting back on flying in private jets....

[kimbutgar]

5. Retroactive waiver probably

[joshdawg]

6. Eff him!

Lock him up!

[Angry Dragon]

7. Did he forget he was a cabinet member??

[DFW]

8. Another case of Republican lying (you're shocked, I know)

"the only available flight 'that would get the administrator back in time' to attend a Cabinet meeting with President Trump the next day.

Really? Does Emirates fly nonstop from Malpensa to Dulles in the middle of the night? I don't know of any nonstops from Milano to Dulles. You have to connect through somewhere, and THAT means you can connect to an American carrier for the transatlantic portion of the trip. Catching Emirates to JFK and then a commuter flight to DC is nothing more than a taxpayer-funded perk.

Furthermore, flights from Europe to North America, due to the time difference, leave in the morning, afternoon, or early evening. They arrive in the afternoon or evening of the same day. If Pruitt's cabinet meeting was the next day, then he was under NO TIME PRESSURE WHATSOEVER.

His statement that he needed to catch the Emirates flight to be in DC the next day is total garbage.

[ProfessorGAC]

9. Nice Catch DFW

Flown into and out of Malpensa many times. IIRC, the return flight to Chicago leaves at around 10am, which is 3am Chicago time. Then you arrive at O'Hare around 1 in the afternoon.

He must have a 14 hour commute from his home into and out of DC or something.

[dalton99a]

14. +1

[Vinca]

10. "Security" . . . riiiiiiiiiiight.

Take a million people and show them a photo line-up. Do you think anyone could pick out the head of the EPA or identify the man by name? Pruitt is just another "lifestyles of the rich and famous" guy taking taxpayers for their hard-earned money.

[logosoco]

11. Speaking of toxic environment...

the ideal person who would head the department that includes the EPA would perhaps have an understanding of how much pollution jets create and would want to conduct business through Skype. It is the 21st century whether this administration wants to admit it or not.

[ProfessorGAC]

12. Another Thought

He got a waiver. Which mid-level bureaucrat is going to tell the EPA administrator and pal of the POTUS, no?

This "waiver" was a rubberstamp applied to a request made by a guy too self-important to travel like he is supposed to.

[sinkingfeeling]

13. Maybe he needs a scheduler who can book trips to allow return time

before such fun activities like cabinet meetings.

[Weed Man]

15. No justification for the price. The waiver is rejected by the American people

and we demand a penalty of 100x of the /actual/ value of the ticket plus 10 million payable to the people of the United States (aka the U.S. Treasury) and is hereby ordered to take every bulkhead seat next to the toilets for the rest of his term. And after his term. The payment must be from his own accounts, and not from a Trump buddy, or transferred from a Trump buddy.

That means all of Pruitts assets are now the property of the people of the U.S., and we are demanding an eviction of his house to pay the Emirates bill and other "perks" that he stiffed the taxpayers on.

[FSogol]

16. This near tragedy shook the Trump wh to its core! Pruitt almost had to fly coach!

[Weed Man]

17. Next time he needs to fly, crate the motherfucker

and throw bread and water for him to eat and let him go through like a fucking dog he is.