The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged with enforcing the nation’s environmental statutes. During his confirmation hearings, lawmakers and the American public should closely examine Scott Pruitt’s record to ensure that he possesses the respect for the Constitution that the people of this nation expect from the holders of high office.
The Facts
- Authored five separate bills in the Oklahoma State Senate that sought to restrict access to abortion, (Source) and went to court to defend legislation that required doctors to use less safe methods for administering abortions. (Source)
- Fought and lost a lawsuit from the ACLU of Oklahoma that required the removal of a statue of the Ten Commandments from the lawn of the State Capitol Building. (Source) Subsequently, failed in an attempt to amend the State’s constitution to allow the use of public funds to promote religion. (Source)
- Argued that the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment does not apply to gays and lesbians. (Source)
- Co-authored a bill denouncing the courts for requiring that a homosexual troop leader be reinstated by the Boy Scouts of America. (Source)
- Sued the State of Colorado for legalizing recreational marijuana use. (Source)
- Promoted and encouraged the distribution of bibles in Oklahoma Public Schools, (Source) has argued that some forms of school prayer are constitutionally protected (Source), and introduced legislation promoting the provision of state juvenile and youth services by religious organizations. (Source)
- Went to court to protect Oklahoma’s ban on same-sex marriage, (Source) and described himself as “profoundly disappointed” by the Supreme Court same-sex marriage decision. (Source) Subsequently, worked to protect the tax-exempt status of churches that refuse to marry same-sex couples. (Source)
- Sued the Federal Government to prevent transgender students from being able to use the restroom that best suits their gender identity. (Source)
- Filed an amicus brief in support of Hobby Lobby’s appeal for a religious exemption from providing employee access to contraception. (Source)
- Authored the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act, which exempted religious organizations from anti-LGBT discrimination rules. (Source)
- After the botched execution of Clayton Lockett, promised to go to court to defend Oklahoma’s right to execute prisoners with an untested method of execution. (Source)
- Filed an amicus brief opposing President Obama’s executive action on immigration reform. (Source)