Fox News does something right

But Trump's EPA Chief tried to do something very wrong.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt appeared calm on Tuesday as he touted the agency's decision to revise greenhouse gas emissions standards for automobiles.

But most reporters who cover the agency weren't in the room, and cameras were nearly non-existent.

EPA had previously planned to hold Pruitt's appearance Tuesday at a Chevrolet dealer in Chantilly, Virginia, just outside of Washington, Geoffrey Pohanka with Pohanka Chevrolet told CNN. But the event was canceled, Pohanka said.

The New York Times reported that there was pushback from some Chevy dealers who didn't want to see the brand tied to the Trump administration's announcement.

The event was subsequently moved to EPA headquarters, but with limited press access. A CNN journalist in the building was not allowed into the room for the event.

EPA had attempted to allow television camera access to Fox News without informing the other four networks: CNN, ABC, NBC and CBS. Fox alerted the networks and a pool was established allowing networks equal access to the event.

  CNN

Unfuckingbelievable.

And while we're on Scott Pruitt:

Scott Pruitt enlisted a top aide to hunt for a Washington house before giving her and a colleague an unapproved raise, according to reports on Tuesday.

[...]

Don Fox, the former acting director and general counsel of the Office of Government Ethics, told The Post that federal officials are barred from enlisting one of their subordinates to do personal tasks for them, even during off hours. “There’s a general prohibition against misusing government resources, and employees are government resources,” Fox told the newspaper.

[...]

Pruitt, already under fire for renting a D.C. condo from the wife of a prominent oil and gas lobbyist and his security and travel costs, gave the two top aides hefty raises despite a request for the pay bumps being rejected by the White House.

[...]

Pruitt — who still has the backing of President Trump despite his troubles — asked that Greenwalt’s salary be raised from $107,435 to $164,200 and that Hupp’s jump from $86,460 to $114,590.

[...]

The Presidential Personnel Office dismissed the request, the Atlantic first reported.

Undeterred, Pruitt went around the White House by reappointing the pair under a provision in the Safe Drinking Water Act, which allows him to hire up to 30 people without approval from the administration or Congress.

The two received the raises, even though their duties did not change.

[...]

A longtime critic of the agency he now controls, Pruitt’s tenure has been marked by repeated criticisms of his spending habits.

He has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of first-class flights and security.

Despite his growing list of controversies, Trump reportedly reached out to his environmental czar to offer support.

Two administration officials confirmed to the Associated Press that the President called Pruitt on Monday and told him that “we’ve got your back.”

[...]


[...]

>Trump is said to be fond of Pruitt and has cheered his moves to rollback regulations and do battle with environmental groups, a White House official told the Associated Press.

[...]

Trump urged Pruitt to “keep his head up” and said the White House supported him.

The officials said White House chief of staff John Kelly reiterated those sentiments in a call to Pruitt Tuesday morning.

  New York Daily News

Yeah, keep destroying the department and say nice things about the Asshat in Chief; you'll be fine.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.


UPDATE: