Scott Pruitt’s $43,000 soundproof phone booth violated spending laws, federal watchdog finds

[KSweeley 10]

EPA's Scott Pruitt had installed, a $43,000 phone booth and the Government Accounting Office has determined that Mr. Pruitt has violated federal law in doing so: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/04/16/scott-pruitts-43000-soundproof-phone-booth-violated-spending-laws-federal-watchdog-finds/?utm_term=.015dc2356517

The $43,000 soundproof phone booth that Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt had installed in his office last year violated federal spending laws, the Government Accountability Office said Monday.

In an eight-page letter to lawmakers, GAO general counsel Thomas H. Armstrong said the agency failed to notify lawmakers that it was exceeding the $5,000 limit for agency heads to furnish, redecorate or otherwise make improvements to their offices. In addition, Armstrong wrote, the agency also violated the federal Antideficiency Act, “because EPA obligated appropriated funds in a manner specifically prohibited by law.”

In this April 16, 2018 report, the Government Accountability Office found that Environmental Protection Agency violated federal appropriations law and the Antideficiency Act by spending $43,000 to install a secure phone booth in EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's personal office without notifying Congress first. http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/documents/national/gao-report-on-scott-pruitts-installation-of-a-secure-phone-booth-in-his-office/2903/

[PinkFlamingo 10]

Anyone else picturing the Cone of Silence?

 

[Struds 10]

1 minute ago, PinkFlamingo said:

Anyone else picturing the Cone of Silence?

 

That was absolutely my first thought when this story first surfaced.

[MiddleOfTheRoad 580,715]

I’m picturing a Facility Manager getting canned - and, hopefully, Pruitt getting a bill for $38,000.

[cprenegade 161,680]

32 minutes ago, PinkFlamingo said:

Anyone else picturing the Cone of Silence?

 

That was the first thing I thought of before I even opened this thread.  I can just imagine Pruitt on one side and Trump on the other going, "What?  I can't hear you."

[dogstarman 136,651]

Come on people, we wouldn’t want uppity EPA careerists to overhear Pruitt’s diabolical plans for making polluters rich quick at the expense of long term environmental health and security.

Meanwhile in public schools all across America...

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/04/16/reader-center/us-public-schools-conditions.html?action=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage

[PinkFlamingo 10]

2 hours ago, cprenegade said:

That was the first thing I thought of before I even opened this thread.  I can just imagine Pruitt on one side and Trump on the other going, "What?  I can't hear you."

I hope they checked his shoes too!

[NCBirdfan 0]

3 hours ago, PinkFlamingo said:

Anyone else picturing the Cone of Silence?

 

What? I can't hear you!

[NCBirdfan 0]

3 hours ago, MiddleOfTheRoad said:

I’m picturing a Facility Manager getting canned - and, hopefully, Pruitt getting a bill for $38,000.

Pruitt should be fired AND paying the $38,000 plus other illegal purchases.

[Dinglehopper 0]

4 hours ago, PinkFlamingo said:

Anyone else picturing the Cone of Silence?

 

I came here to say that!!

[Dinglehopper 0]

 

[MiddleOfTheRoad 580,715]

Why does the head of the EPA need such a system?

[FatBoy 367,522]

Pruitt is surely on the short list of administration officials next merge onto the exit ramp. 

Edited April 16 by FatBoy

[Norman 20,881,637]

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/17/opinion/scott-pruitt-ridiculous.html

[Papi 10]

On 4/16/2018 at 0:08 PM, PinkFlamingo said:

Anyone else picturing the Cone of Silence?

 

That was my first thought!    I wonder if he has a shoe phone as well. 

[Guido2 0]

On ‎4‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 4:24 PM, MiddleOfTheRoad said:

Why does the head of the EPA need such a system?

 

On ‎4‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 0:46 PM, dogstarman said:

Come on people, we wouldn’t want uppity EPA careerists to overhear Pruitt’s diabolical plans for making polluters rich quick at the expense of long term environmental health and security.

Meanwhile in public schools all across America...

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/04/16/reader-center/us-public-schools-conditions.html?action=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage

There is your answer. Personally I don't doubt it for one minute. 

I also understand that he hired (and billed us of course) to have his office swept for surveillance mikes and such by a private contractor. 

Ahhhhh yup....this guy is sure acting like someone who has nothing to hide. 

[NCBirdfan 0]

On 4/16/2018 at 4:21 PM, Dinglehopper said:

 

What? How's that? What?