EPA/ETHICS/SCOTT PRUITT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Scott Pruitt’s once bright political future is in doubt after his sudden fall from grace as head of the EPA, following an avalanche of revelations about his first-class flights, pricey security trappings, backdoor raises for proteges and sweetheart deals with lobbyists stretching from his Oklahoma roots to his arrival in Washington. Some of Pruitt’s actions went viral because of bizarre details, such as using his bodyguards to search for a rare brand of lotion or tasking an aide with trying to buy a used mattress from the Trump International Hotel. But ethics experts and Pruitt’s critics noted that the eye-popping details frequently underscored Pruitt’s apparent misuse of his Cabinet position, sometimes for simple vanity but occasionally — most consequentially — in ways that benefited himself and his family, drawing civil and potentially even criminal inquiries. President Donald Trump said the decision to resign was Pruitt’s and that there was ‘no final straw’ that precipitated the move, which has been in the works for a couple days.”
–Alex Guillen and Andrew Restuccia, “How Scott Pruitt blew it,” Politico, July 5, 2018 5:57 pm