EPA Chiefs $50-a-Night Rental Raises White House Angst

[DonViejo]

By Jennifer A Dlouhy and Jennifer Jacobs
March 29, 2018, 11:56 PM EDT

Pruitt apartment questions follow first-class flight reports

Washington lease is compared to an Airbnb-style arrangement

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt’s lease at a Washington apartment owned by a lobbyist friend allowed him to pay $50 a night for a single bedroom -- but only on the nights when he actually slept there.

White House officials are growing dismayed about the questions surrounding Pruitt’s living arrangement, including his initial inability to produce any documentation about his lease or his actual payments, according to three officials. The landlord provided EPA officials with a copy of the lease and proof of the payments Pruitt made.

The questions follow criticism of Pruitt for traveling first class on airline flights.

In all, Pruitt paid $6,100 to use the room for roughly six months, according to copies of the checks reviewed by Bloomberg. Those checks show varying amounts paid on sporadic dates -- not a traditional monthly "rent payment" of the same amount each month.

That was because of the unusual rent schedule -- not a single monthly amount, but a daily amount charged only for days used for a single bedroom in the two-bedroom unit just blocks from the Capitol. The owner is a health care lobbyist, Vicki Hart. Her husband J. Steven Hart, is also a lobbyist and his firm represents clients in industries regulated by the EPA.

more
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-30/epa-chief-s-50-a-night-rental-said-to-raise-white-house-angst

[exboyfil]

1. That is equivalent to a hotel stay

Even worse because he probably got to store his stuff there when he was not staying there. That has to be $100K or more in in kind value. Surely an ethical violation.

I can't even get a Red Roof in Iowa for $50/night. Hotels with those amenities probably run $500/night or more in DC.

[atreides1]

2. I looked on Trivago

The lowest price I found was $92/night and that was a Motel 6 in Bethesda...a little over 4 miles from the city center!

[Lucky Luciano]

5. $500/night is probably a 400 sq foot room and not a luxury condo.

The luxury condo is worth more as a hotel!

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. It's equivalent to sharing a room in an apartment

for just over $1000/month. Googling, I find $1,125, or $1,294. It seems close enough.

Average for a spare bedroom: $941 in 2017: https://dc.curbed.com/2017/8/2/16083354/spare-room-rent-trulia

[Renew Deal]

3. I don't see the problem with the "lease" other than he's staying with a lobbyist

It's cheap, so I would think that's good. Staying with a lobbyist is bad...

[MyOwnPeace]

4. I agree..........

I have no problem in him finding a simple arrangement for a place to stay (when he's not out flying around in 1st. class seats!) - BUT, when the place is owned by someone who has a direct interest in what his job and department involve - well, anybody with ethics would have stayed a mile away from that arrangement (well, I guess I just answered all of that, didn't I - ANYBODY WITH ETHICS!).

[Renew Deal]

6. The problem with the article is that they frame it as an extravigant lease

When it's really an ethical problem

[MyOwnPeace]

7. Yes, sir!

We DO agree!!!!

And THAT is a YUGE problem with this entire administra...., er, regime!!

[bigbrother05]

9. Equivalent to a B&B arrangement, but ...

How much would a B&B in central DC cost? Certainly more than $50 per night.

He's getting a subsidized arrangement that's not available to the public or even a normal gov't employee.

[Angry Dragon]

8. I saw ethics fly out the window..............