Republican Sen. Joni Ernst blasts Scott Pruitt: 'He is about as swampy as you get'


Even some senators who didn't sign the record-breaking resolution demanding Scott Pruitt's resignation are losing their patience with the scandal-ridden Cabinet member.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) told Bloomberg that the Environmental Protection Agency chief is "about as swampy as you get here in Washington, D.C." She further said that "if the president wants to drain the swamp, he needs to take a look at his own Cabinet."
Ernst and her fellow Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley (R) both slammed Pruitt for failing to uphold the campaign promises made by President Trump. Grassley said on Tuesday that Pruitt "has betrayed the president," while Ernst accused the EPA administrator of "breaking our president's promises to farmers."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A record 130 members of the House of Representatives and 39 members of the Senate called for Pruitt to resign back in April, due to the dozen federal investigations into his conduct at the EPA. Ernst and Grassley haven't demanded that Pruitt step aside, but Bloomberg reports that they don't expect him to last much longer, regardless. If Pruitt keeps "going against" Trump's campaign promises, said Ernst, "I don't know how long that relationship can last." Read more at Bloomberg.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
5 bullseye cartoons about the reasons for mass shootings
Cartoons Artists take on gun worship, a price paid, and more
-
Lisa Cook and Trump's battle for control the US Fed
Talking Point The president's attempts to fire one of the Federal Reserve's seven governor is represents 'a stunning escalation' of his attacks on the US central bank
-
'Three Pads' Rayner: a housing hypocrite?
Talking Point As real estate moguls go, the Deputy PM is 'hardly Donald Trump'
-
RFK Jr. names new CDC head as staff revolt
Speed Read Kennedy installed his deputy, Jim O'Neill, as acting CDC director
-
DC prosecutors lose bid to indict sandwich thrower
Speed Read Prosecutors sought to charge Sean Dunn with assaulting a federal officer
-
White House fires new CDC head amid agency exodus
Speed Read CDC Director Susan Monarez was ousted after butting heads with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccines
-
DOGE put Social Security data at risk, official says
Speed Read DOGE workers made the personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans vulnerable to identity theft
-
Court rejects Trump suit against Maryland US judges
Speed Read Judge Thomas Cullen, a Trump appointee, said the executive branch had no authority to sue the judges
-
Trump expands National Guard role in policing
Speed Read The president wants the Guard to take on a larger role in domestic law enforcement
-
Trump says he's firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Speed Read The move is likely part of Trump's push to get the central bank to cut interest rates
-
Abrego released from jail, faces Uganda deportation
Speed Read The wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego García is expected to be detained at an ICE check-in and deported to Uganda