JETSETTER

Ex-EPA Aide Accuses Pruitt of More Wasteful Spending

Kevin Chmielewski said Pruitt chose travel sites based on his desire to visit certain cities, not official business.

In a letter, Democrats in congress asked Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt to provide additional documents regarding new allegations made by Kevin Chmielewski, former EPA deputy chief of staff for operations, according to The Washington Post. Chmielewski claimed that Pruitt “often chose travel destinations based on a desire to visit particular cities or countries rather than official business,” the letter says. Pruitt also routinely has his team book flights on Delta—even when it's not the government-contracted carrier—in order “to accrue more frequent flier miles,” the letter says. It alleges that Pruitt told his team to “find reasons” for him to travel back to his home state of Oklahoma, “often at taxpayer expense.” He also pushed his team to book him rooms at Sofitel hotels, even if the prices exceeded the allowed government amount, Chmielewski charged. Chmielewski has been dismissed by the agency as a “disgruntled” employee, and was placed on administrative leave after allegedly raising concerns about Pruitt’s spending habits.