As Pruitt’s Confirmation Vote to Lead EPA Nears, Watchdog Group Sues to See Communications With Fossil Fuel Industry

• Joe Wertz
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  Joe Wertz was a reporter and managing editor for StateImpact Oklahoma from 2011-2019. He reported on energy and environment issues for national NPR audiences and other national outlets. He previously worked as a managing editor, assistant editor and staff reporter at several major Oklahoma newspapers and studied journalism at the University of Central Oklahoma.

The Center for Media and Democracy on Tuesday filed an open records lawsuit against Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, accusing the Trump administration’s pick to lead the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of failing to provide public access to emails and other documents for more than two years.

The lawsuit, filed in Oklahoma County District Court, seeks records requested from 2015 through 2017 under Oklahoma’s Open Records Act. The left-leaning Wisconsin-based nonprofit media watchdog, requested communications between the attorney general’s office, fossil fuel companies and the Republican Attorney General’s Association.

The group is also asking a judge for an injunction preventing the Oklahoma AG’s office from destroying any documents related to its records request.

The U.S. Senate is expected to vote this week whether to confirm Pruitt as administrator of the EPA, a federal agency the Oklahoma attorney general has fought with lawsuits and vowed to reform.

Pruitt has declined interview requests until the confirmation process is complete.