"It's not much — white exterior walls, a chair and office phone inside, behind a door the EPA administrator could close behind himself.
A photo obtained by E&E News under the Freedom of Information Act shows the secure phone booth EPA installed for then-Administrator Scott Pruitt.
The costly booth, built in a former storage closet in the administrator's office and not widely seen even by EPA staff, helped contribute to Pruitt's downfall. He resigned in July 2018 after he was beset by scandals involving allegations of lavish spending and use of his position for personal gain.
The facility cost roughly $43,000 overall to install, spurring calls for investigation, ridicule for Pruitt and ultimately the Government Accountability Office's conclusion that the agency violated the law by spending too much to furnish the EPA administrator's office and failing to notify lawmakers."
Kevin Bogardus and Timothy Cama report for E&E News August 31, 2020.
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