Pruitt writes oil and gas executives
Lots of stuff from Eric Lipton of the New York Times
Got this batch of written correspondence late Friday via Sierra Club lawsuit, which has produced 40,000+ pages of records. @LFFriedman @HirokoTabuchi & I read through it. We've written stories on themes re Pruitt like this before. So we are sharing this as a narrative Tweet
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) July 1, 2018
STICK WITH US FOR THIS THREAD: We know Scott Pruitt doesn't like to email (avoids creating a "paper trail") Turns out he DOES (or did) snail mail. Guess who he writes to? Oil & gas executives. Come along for the ride as we check out bit of his correspondence. BP America up first pic.twitter.com/FLQATlrmuo
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) July 1, 2018
Pruitt and Jack Gerard, head American Petroleum Institute (API)– the largest U.S. trade association for the oil and natural gas industry–had a nice back and forth chat via written letters, after Pruitt closed-door visit. "VERY MUCH ENJOYED OUR TIME TOGETHER!" pic.twitter.com/KAfDqOACm2
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) July 1, 2018
SMALLER OKLAHOMA PLAYERS TOO: Like Pierce Norton, CEO of Tulsa-based ONE Gas Inc "I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT AND COUNSEL ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES FACING THE INDUSTRY! SEE YOU SOON" Pruitt writes, in an entirely hand-written note. One of the few. pic.twitter.com/8XF12EnCn4
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) July 1, 2018
HAROLD HAMM–the Oklahoma oil billionaire who was the chairman of Pruitt's re-election campaign as Ok Attorney General and is CEO of Continental Resources, a big backer of Trump/giant critic of Obama-era envior rules. "APPRECIATE YOU!" Pruitt writes pic.twitter.com/2yHAWTWyQ4
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) July 1, 2018
At The NYT, we have written extensively about Pruitt and his frequent meetings with oil and gas industry players. Here is one of those stories. What we have never before seen were these personal notes. https://t.co/sE43TGXqAh
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) July 1, 2018
We have also previously published detailed excerpts of Pruitt's internal calendar showing these meetings. And the NYT has sued the EPA to get copies of this detailed calendar every month. https://t.co/Rlq1yjoiN2 pic.twitter.com/5JHwkZ8O3t
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) July 1, 2018
(BACK TO THE LETTERS) Yes, Pruitt does have non oil-gas letters too. Here's 1 to Ken Cuccinelli former VA Att General, now president of Senate Conservatives Fund "where he is committed to helping elect the next wave of principled leaders" (Pruitt a likely future Senate candidate) pic.twitter.com/nnCSnGFCAf
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) July 1, 2018
Agriculture industry, another big Pruitt constituency. Here's a note to the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Groups like this have BIG enviro issues before EPA, like Clean Water rule Pruitt is repealing/revising in part because farmers don't like it. "VERY MUCH ENJOYED" pic.twitter.com/1EqvFoHB4W
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) July 1, 2018
Forgot this one with the American Gas Association's top boss. Pruitt is close with both oil AND gas industry players. We know this from his calendar, as it shows dozens of such meetings over the last year. AGA President and CEO Dave McCurdy. "IT WAS GOOD TO CATCH UP" pic.twitter.com/Mr1ANh0bmU
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) July 1, 2018
There are a number of letters with local officials and foreign players too. Here are a few samples, like Arizona State Treasurer Jeff DeWit who has since been named by Trump as NASA's chief financial officer. Here too the state secretary for minister environment from Germany. pic.twitter.com/j6vcMNSHCQ
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) July 1, 2018
A final couple of gems. Folks out there in the United States like to send Scott Pruitt books on CLIMATE CHANGE. Surprise? First a climate change skeptic. Trying help Pruitt "Data was being altered, concealed..Church of the Holy C02 is precisely that – a faith, not a science." pic.twitter.com/hsf4W5hRGh
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) July 1, 2018
And then there was this: "GLOBAL WARMING FOR DUMMIES." A used copy, delivered free of charge to the E.P.A. "CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE PLANET, BOTH IMMEDIATE AND LONG TERM" Can't say for sure where this one ended up. Do not see a thank you note back. pic.twitter.com/GiKtbC7VtJ
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) July 1, 2018
Sad! 