Pruitt lied to senators in saying he did not use a private email server for official state business

Rss@dailykos.com (meteor Blades) · Saturday, February 25, 2017, 1:58 pm

Two years before Scott Pruitt was chosen to lead the Environmental Protection Agency that he wants to wreck, Fox 25, the Oklahoma City Fox affiliate, began seeking documents through the Freedom of Information Act relating to his term as Oklahoma attorney general. In the process, the station learned that Pruitt had used a private server for some emails he sent and received relating to official government business. Now the state attorney general’s office has confirmed that Pruitt did, in fact, do this.

Although it is illegal under federal law to use private email accounts for official government business, under Oklahoma law, using private email to conduct state business is not illegal as long as those records are included in searches for public documents. However, during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works committee, testified that he had never used private email for state business:

Senator Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, asked Pruitt directly, “Have you ever conducted business using your personal email accounts, nonofficial Oklahoma Attorney General email accounts, text messages, instant messenger, voicemails, or any other medium?”

“I use only my official OAG [Office of the Attorney General] email address and government issued phone to conduct official business,” Pruitt replied.

A flat-out lie. Or rather, another flat-out lie.

What’s the penalty for Republican officials who cover up their actions by lying under oath? Taking back the keys to an agency that Pruitt has made clear he wants to wreck? No? Too harsh? How about a subpoena to come back, admit he lied and at least get a wrist-slap from the EPW committee? No? Still too tough on the poor guy?

How about an attaboy! champagne toast?

Given the average of four unpunished lies a day coming from Pr*sident Trump, it’s pretty clear that Pruitt’s perjury will scarcely raise an eyebrow.

Source
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/25/1637641/-Pruitt-lied-to-senators-in-saying-he-did-not-use-a-private-email-server-for-official-state-business