Scott Pruitt 'asked government aide to find six-figure job for his wife', staffers claim

Interviews also reveal staffers' concerns about EPA administrator's decision to routinely travel first class

House Democrats asked the Justice Department to investigate Mr Pruitt for potential criminal conduct earlier this month (REUTERS/Al Drago)

Scott Pruitt reportedly asked aides to help his wife find a job with a salary over $200,000 (£150,000).

The administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also used staff to handle personal matters and sought to travel first-class or via private jet, according to The Washington Post.

The insights came from interviews conducted with the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee by two members of Mr Pruitt’s staff, Samantha Dravis, the EPA’s former associate administrator for the Office of Policy, and Mr Pruitt’s chief of staff, Ryan Jackson.

Ms Dravis said Mr Pruitt had asked her to contact the Republican Attorneys General Association, a group Mr Pruitt had once led and Ms Dravis had worked at, as part of the search for a job for his wife.

Ms Dravis said she declined, but said Mr Pruitt wanted to find his wife a job with an annual salary of more than $200,000.

She eventually helped Marlyn Pruitt find a job at the Judicial Crisis Network, Ms Dravis said. However, the conservative group said it paid her less than six figures for work setting up new offices as an independent contractor.

The interviews also revealed the staffers had raised concerns about Mr Pruitt’s decision to routinely travel first class.

John Konkus, a spokesman for the EPA, declined to comment when contacted by The Washington Post.

“EPA has not spoken with Mr Jackson or Ms Dravis about their testimony,” he said.

Mr Pruitt's lawyer, Cleta Mitchell, was contacted by The Independent but had not responded at the time of writing.

Earlier this month, House Democrats asked the Justice Department to investigate Mr Pruitt for potential criminal conduct, alleging he repeatedly violated federal anti-corruption laws by seeking to leverage his government position for personal gain.

They cited Mr Pruitt directing an EPA aide to contact a senior Chick-fil-A executive as part of an effort to land his family a franchise, and a $2,000 payment to his wife from organisers of a conference Mr Pruitt then attended at taxpayer expense, as well as his rental of a condo from a lobbyist’s spouse.