EPA Chief Scott Pruitt Resigns Amid Crush of Scandals

Embattled environmental chief to leave agency after 16 months
Former coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler will take over agency

Pruitt Steps Down as EPA Chief Amid Ethics Scandals

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By Jennifer A Dlouhy

July 5, 2018 at 7:41 PM UTC

Updated on

July 5, 2018 at 9:38 PM UTC

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Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt has resigned after a deluge of damaging revelations about his spending, travel, and a condo rental deal that prompted some Republican lawmakers to distance themselves and question his continued effectiveness.

President Donald Trump announced in a tweet on Thursday that he’d accepted the resignation. “Within the Agency Scott has done an outstanding job and I will always be thankful to him for this,” Trump said.