May 10, 2018

Scott Pruitt Broke Bread With a Climate-Skeptic Cardinal Accused of Sexual Abuse

When in Rome…

Chris Kleponis/ZUMA

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt dined at a five-star restaurant with Cardinal George Pell, a climate-change skeptic who faces child sexual abuse charges, during a visit to Rome in June 2017, documents obtained by the New York Times show.

According to the Times, EPA staff knew the Cardinal was under investigation at the time, and multiple EPA schedules from that day do not include the meeting with Pell. Pruitt’s chief of staff and Leonard Leo, executive vice president of the Federalist Society, were also at the dinner.

Cardinal Pell will soon stand trial for multiple counts of child sexual abuse. 

Here are the documents obtained by the Times:

Private Tour of Apostolic Palace Proposed with Cardinal Pell (p. 18)

View entire document on DocumentCloud

And here is a Twitter thread from the Times‘ Eric Lipton: 

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