Scott Pruitt’s security detail drove him around Washington to find his favorite luxury lotion. Image on Vox by Javier Zarracina.
Of all the venal, dangerous, incompetent people in President Donald J. Trumpet’s administration, former Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt may have been the worst. At least Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos claims to be interested in schools. I don’t think she knows anything about them and she has no experience with them, but at least she’s interested in education and has a viewpoint, however wrongheaded, about it.
But Pruitt has no interest in the environment, only in dismantling the EPA. He’s fallen short of that goal, thanks to some dogged reporting by The New York Times and other members of the Fourth Estate and to a hubris and sense of entitlement that caused some of his ex-staffers to turn on him.
Pruitt, who resigned Friday under enormous pressure, was among other things a bad boss. No one expects the boss to pick up the pizza when you’re all working late or even to order it, only to pay for it. Pruitt was the kind of boss who expected you to order it, pick it up, pay for it, serve it to him and then maybe deliver one to his family. In short, he had no sense of Alexandrian leadership – leading from the front, which means putting yourself last. Instead he had his security detail running all over town to find The Ritz-Carlton moisturizer he favors. Apparently, it’s hard to get the luscious lotion so coveted by Ritz guests. Here’s a description from the luxe hotel collection’s website:
“A guest-favorite used across The Ritz-Carlton hotels and resorts, this exclusive moisturizer is lightly scented with sweet notes of ylang ylang, jasmine and uplifting bergamot. Replenish your skin and revive your senses throughout the day with this luxuriously smoothing lotion.”
Two questions: Why wouldn’t you just go on the website or call up the hotel group? And doesn’t it seem odd that such a traditional guy would be interested in ylang ylang?
There are those who say, Who cares? It’s what he has done to the EPA that matters. Agreed, but as you are in small things so you are in big ones.
“Lotiongate” proves Pruitt isn’t interested in anyone but himself. I hope his similarly tempered boss gave him a case of the moisturizer as a lovely parting gift.