Former DNC Chair, Howard Dean, was on MSNBC on Sunday morning to discuss the latest scandals from Trump's "Drain (fill) the swamp" Cabinet. This weeks topic: EPA head, Scott Pruitt. His "market rate" rental from an energy lobbyist, insane security details, first class airfare, etc. Dean made some pretty astute observations:
Two points about Scott Pruitt. He's terrible for the country and doing what most American's hate. You know, his behavior has been appalling. As a professional, he has no profession. Secondly, he's a terrific gift for the Democrats. This guy is a crook. He's dishonest as the day is long. He's engaged in things that would have gotten most people fired if we had a President with the slightest amount of ethics. He's a great campaign poster for us. We're going to go all over the country.
Ted Lieu actually referenced this on Saturday night in a great tweet:
Keeping someone as morally bankrupt, insanely paranoid and shockingly elitist is a great campaign point for Democrats going into the midterms. The fact that Trump won't even discipline him, let alone fire him, shows just how despicable and "swampy" the White House really is.
Dean continued:
Here's what I think that's more problematic. He didn't get this way when he got to Washington. He was doing this when he was Attorney General of Oklahoma. Sooner or later, somebody is going to do the oppo research on him in Oklahoma and find out there's stuff like this. This guy is dishonest. You don't get dishonest just because you go to Washington. You usually are a little dishonest before you get there.
There will definitely be more to come out on Pruitt. This is just a trickle. Eventually, it will be a flood.
When asked why Trump continues to stand by Pruitt, Dean nailed it:
He's a mini-me for the President. He pulls other people's ideas. He has no ideas of his own. Pruitt is a mini Trump. He's not capable of anything. It's no wonder the President likes him.
Trump sees himself in Pruitt. Pruitt sees himself in Trump. They are two sides of a coin. Let's see if the pressure will get too hot for Trump, though. My guess: it won't. Or, he will fire Sessions and plunk Pruitt into the AG spot and then we will be in even worse trouble. Trump placing a similarly minded sycophant with zero scruples, an incredibly over inflated sense of worth and no morals to head the DOJ would be disastrous for our country.
