Americans are “frustrated” with Cabinet officials who “want to use taxpayer dollars” for their personal pleasure — and EPA chief Scott Pruitt “may be on his way out” as a result, Alabama Democratic Sen. Doug Jones said Sunday.
In an interview on ABC News’ “This Week,” Jones, who won a hotly contested special election last Dec. 12, said the Environmental Protection Agency administrator — who’s come under fire for renting a condo from an energy lobbyist — is “in real trouble.”
“The fact that he has been — has a controversy with expenses, which I think is one of the things that people are just frustrated with, with cabinet members who seem to want to use taxpayer dollars to fund a life, their own personal lifestyle,” Jones said.
“And now on top of this, the — you know, not just the 50 dollars, but the fact that it was going to energy company lobbyists, that — it just looks so bad. And I think it seems that he may be on his way out.”
Ousted Veterans Administration head David Shulkin also was roundly criticized for mixing business and pleasure on the taxpayers’ dime during a trip to Europe in July 2017.
Jones also weighed in on prospects for Democrats ahead of midterm elections — conceding there are divisions in the party.
“We have seen some divisions,” he said. “But, you know, there's always been divisions in the Republican Party, within the Democratic Party…. I think the challenge is as we go forward, we're going to be trying to challenge in every zip code in every state. ”