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By Greg Price
Staff Writer
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Embattled Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt reportedly has his sights set on Attorney General Jeff Sessions's job should President Donald Trump decide to fire the nation's top law enforcement officer or if Sessions steps down.
Pruitt has "alienated" himself from colleagues for expressing his hope of taking over for Sessions, according to The Wall Street Journal on Monday, citing an unnamed White House official. In turn, Pruitt has seen few within the administration come to his defense amid a potential scandal over his renting of a condominium from a Washington lobbyist.
The White House is now reportedly working on an internal review of Pruitt after reports surfaced his renting the condo at below-market value, according to the Journal.
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Still, Pruitt's job is evidently not in danger. The same cannot necessarily be said of Sessions, who has faced the president's wrath both publicly and privately.
Trump has labeled Sessions as "beleaguered" and "weak" on Twitter and questioned why the Justice Department was not investigating what the president and his allies have claimed was an improper use of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance courts to launch a probe into the Trump campaign's alleged ties to Russia during the 2016 election.
"Why is A.G. Jeff Sessions asking the Inspector General to investigate potentially massive FISA abuse. Will take forever, has no prosecutorial power and already late with reports on Comey etc. Isn't the I.G. an Obama guy? Why not use Justice Department lawyers? DISGRACEFUL!," Trump tweeted February 28.
The president also raged against Sessions after Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed special counsel Robert Mueller nearly a year ago. Trump reportedly blamed Sessions and claimed he was "disloyal" and insulted the former Alabama senator, according toThe New York Times last year. Sessions even told Trump he would resign and sent a letter of resignation to the White House.
Republicans have rallied around Sessions and warned Trump not to fire him. In July, Senator Lindsay Graham of South Carolina said Trump would have "holy hell to pay" if Sessions were dismissed.
Pruitt, whose environmental record was panned after his nomination to head up the EPA, does have some requisite experience to take on Sessions's job. He previously served as Oklahoma's attorney general.
But Pruitt's current job security remains in doubt. White House chief of staff John Kelly reportedly considered firing Pruitt "in the coming months," according to Politico on Monday, but was waiting for the EPA's inspector general to finalize its report on the significant cost of Pruitt's travel while in office.
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