Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt faced tough questions Wednesday from Senate Democrats in his confirmation hearing as potential head of the Environmental Protection Agency.
During his opening statement, Pruitt said the climate is changing — a departure from President-elect Donald Trump's claims climate change is "a hoax." Pruitt later sparred with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders over the cause of climate change.
"Ninety-seven percent of the scientists who wrote articles in peer-reviewed journals believe that human activity is the fundamental reason we are seeing climate change," Sanders said. "You disagree with that?"
"I believe the ability to measure with precision the degree of human activity's impact on the climate is subject to more debate on whether the climate is changing or whether human activity contributes to it," Pruitt said.
Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey asked Pruitt whether as EPA administrator he’ll step away from active lawsuits he has against the agency.
"I can say to you unequivocally I will recuse as directed by EPA ethics counsel," Pruitt said.
"And what I'm saying to you is you should just start out saying, 'I'm going to recuse myself from anything that relates to any litigation that I have initiated as the attorney general of Oklahoma,'" Markey said.
Pruitt was also questioned about financial ties to the oil and gas industry. Energy companies have given millions of dollars to the Republican Attorneys General Association Pruitt led and its campaign to challenge Obama administration environmental and financial regulations.
Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse accused Pruitt of being soft on energy companies as a result.
"We are involved in a situation in Oklahoma where multiple oil and gas companies — ConocoPhillips and others — have defrauded the state in cleanup with respect to spills that have occurred — and ExxonMobil," Pruitt said.
"Yeah, it's a qui tam fraud case. It has nothing to do with the environment," Whitehouse said.
Senate Republicans were friendlier. Some defended Pruitt by saying oil companies have given more money to Hillary Clinton than they have to Pruitt.
Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe credited Pruitt for resolving a prolonged water-rights dispute between the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations and the state.
