EPA Chief Scott Pruitt made his first appearance in front of a congressional committee that includes U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette last week.
It being his first, one would imagine that she had lots of important questions to ask him about EPA Superfund cleanups in her own state. Or at the very least, question his about the spill caused by the EPA at the Gold King Mine.
Instead, it appears she squandered that precious time to try and mock the agency and director for installing a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility that cost taxpayers $25,000. The small rooms are used by cabinet secretaries and the president to conduct conversations involving sensitive matters.
Just to keep this in perspective, the Gold King Mine spill will cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
But according to a “news” report from the leftist activist organization, the Environmental Working Group, this is how DeGette used her allotted time:
“What percentage of your work would you say is conducted in this SCIF?” asked DeGette.
Pruitt: “It’s hard to predict that, Congresswoman.”
Is it 50 percent, 75 percent, DeGette asked? Pruitt couldn’t say.
DeGette: “And did you do that because part of the EPA’s mission involves classified information?”
Pruitt: “Yes, ma’am, part of that, but also communications with the White House. There are secure conversations that need to take place at times. . . . It’s used for secure communications that need to take place at the office.”
She stopped short of asking him to detail the classified information, like how they are managing the disposal of nuclear waste, chemical cleanups, vulnerabilities at the nation’s most sensitive energy sites.
But she did score that article from an environmental group, praising her tenacity in monitoring the EPA chief’s phone calls.