EPA chief Scott Pruitt says he did know about pay raises

WASHINGTON — Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt concedes he did have some knowledge of big pay raises awarded to two close aides.

At a hearing, Democrat Rep. Paul Tonko of New York pressed Pruitt on whether he knew about the raises for 30-year-old senior legal counsel Sarah Greenwalt and 26-year-old scheduling director Millian Hupp.

In a Fox News interview on April 4, Pruitt insisted he didn’t approve the raises and didn’t know who did.

Documents later showed EPA chief of staff Ryan Jackson signed off on the raises and indicated he had Pruitt’s consent.

Pruitt said Thursday he actually delegated authority to Jackson to give the raises but didn’t know the exact amounts.

Greenwalt received raises of more than $66,000, bringing her salary to $164,200. Hupp saw her salary jump to $114,590, after raises of more than $48,000.

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