Energy

EXCLUSIVE: EPA Leaker Started Dishing On Scott Pruitt After A Payroll Dispute, Security Head Says

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The controversies surrounding Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt’s tenure blew up over a payroll dispute, his former head of security told The Daily Caller News Foundation

Former Special Agent in charge of Pruitt’s security detail, Nino Perrotta, believes former EPA staffer Kevin Chmielewski decided to come out against Pruitt after a January 2018 phone call.

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Chmielewski leaked information to the media about Pruitt’s time at EPA, and gave Democratic lawmakers a laundry list of allegations against the former Oklahoma attorney general. Chmielewski left EPA in March.

Pruitt is under fire for alleged overspending and ethics violations, including renting a room from the wife of a D.C. lobbyist, flying first class and enlarging his security detail. Congress and EPA’s Office of Inspector General are investigating these matters.

During their January call, Perrotta said Chmielewski vented to him about issues he was having with his pay. Perrotta said he tried to help Chmielewski with his pay issue, but “began to threaten the EPA, specifically the administrator and the chief of staff, that he was going to talk to the press and everyone he could about,” using colorful language, “how f-ed up the EPA was and how f-ed up the administrator was and how f-ed up the chief of staff was.”

“I found that to be very, very bizarre,” Perrotta said. “If you have differences it should be aired through your chain of command.”

Chmielewski called the next day, but given his tone and threatening statements on their previous call, Perrotta said he’d have to report him. Perrotta filed the report with the agency.

Perrotta’s remarks were part of a larger interview with TheDCNF that aired Monday. Perrotta retired from EPA at the end of April, after serving at the agency for 14 years. Before that, Perrotta served in the Secret Service and worked for the Bronx District Attorney.

Watch the video below to learn more about Perrotta’s background, including his work to take down notorious mobsters.

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