Governors' Biofuels Coalition

The White House is reviewing U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s rental of a condominium tied to an energy lobbyist whose firm’s clients have business before the agency, spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said today.

Asked whether President Trump is comfortable with Pruitt’s rental arrangement, Sanders said the president is not and that the White House has begun a review.

Pressed about whether Trump backs Pruitt, she said, “The president thinks that he’s done a good job, particularly on the deregulation front.”

She added, “But again, we take this seriously, and we’re looking into it and we’ll let you know when we finish.”

The former Oklahoma attorney general is facing questions surrounding the lease he signed on a Washington condo where he paid rent only for the nights he spent there. His former landlord’s spouse is a lobbyist (Greenwire, April 2).

Sanders confirmed Trump called Pruitt this week, saying such calls are common.

“He works for the president. It’s pretty routine the president would speak to members of his own staff,” she said.

“We’re reviewing the allegations,” she added.

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