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There is a whirlwind of controversy surrounding Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt and his staff. In just the past week, Pruitt’s EPA has come under fire for tapping current and former lobbyists to arrange travel abroad, pushing negative stories about Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, a wave of high-level resignations, and more. Pruitt and his staff are at the center of many overlapping investigations by Congress, the White House, EPA’s Office of Inspector General, and the Government Accountability Office, the federal watchdog. The flood of news has been dizzying for everyone, including EPA staff. “It’s been insane,” an EPA program analyst told BuzzFeed News. Several others told BuzzFeed News that the near-constant stream of stories has been distracting. It’s confusing AF. So here’s a guide to what exactly is going on. The scrutiny started over EPA spending on Pruitt’s travel and security The EPA has spent more than $3 million on Pruitt’s first-class travel, lodging, and security since he became administrator, according to the Associated Press. Last summer, for example, Pruitt and his staff traveled to Italy for two weeks for a G7 meeting. The trip cost more than $120,000, including $36,000 for a military jet to make a connecting flight, a $7,000 plane ticket for Pruitt to cross the Atlantic Ocean, more than $30,000 for security, and more. The EPA also spent $100,000 on Pruitt’s controversial four-day trip to Morocco to tout natural gas last December. Much of the security costs come from Pruitt’s around-the-clock detail, which continues even when he’s not working, and involves a team of about 20 people. The EPA has justified Pruitt’s travel expenses, citing security concerns tied to death threats. But Senate Democrats in an April letter say they’ve obtained agency documentation that suggests otherwise; this includes an Oct. 17, 2017, memo stating, “EPA intelligence has not identified any specific credible threat to the EPA Administrator.” Kevin Chmielewski, who was deputy chief of staff for operations at the EPA, recently told Democrats in Congress that Pruitt’s travel was "often dictated by [Pruitt's] desire to visit particular cities or countries rather than official business,” including visits to his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He also alleged that staffers were directed to book Pruitt’s flights on Delta so he could get frequent flyer miles. Chmielewski also confirmed Washington Post reporting that the EPA considered a $100,000-per-month contract to rent a private jet for Pruitt’s use. EPA’s Office of Inspector General is auditing Pruitt’s travel through at least the end of 2017, and members of the House Oversight Committee are investigating EPA’s travel and security spending.

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