EPA Spent $1,560 on 12 Silver Fountain Pens

The Environmental Protection Agency, under the leadership of scandal-ridden Administrator Scott Pruitt, ordered 12 silver fountain pens for $1,560 from a Washington, D.C., jewelry store, according to The Washington Post. The pens cost $130 a pop and were designed with the EPA seal and Pruitt’s signature. Personalized journals were also ordered with the same design for a total of $1,670.00. Milian Hupp, Pruitt’s longtime confidant and scheduler, signed off on the orders via email. The agency spokesperson claimed the pen and journal orders were “made for the purpose of serving as gifts to the Administrator’s foreign counterparts and dignitaries upon his meeting with them” and “adheres to the same protocol of former EPA Administrators and were purchased using funds budgeted for such a purpose.” The New York Times recently reported that Pruitt originally wanted the EPA seal off both designs and “wanted to feature his name prominently.” Pruitt has been under fire for months, and multiple investigations are looking at his lavish spending, including on first-class flights and an SUV featuring bullet-resistant seat covers.