Protesters attending a Senate hearing Wednesday on the Environmental Protect Agency's (EPA) 2019 budget request held signs behind embattled EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt
Edward (Scott) Scott PruittTrump's relocation of the Bureau of Land Management was part of a familiar Republican playbook Understanding the barriers between scientists, the public and the truth Overnight Energy & Environment — Biden makes return to pre-Trump national monument boundaries official MORE urging President Trump
Donald Trump29 percent of GOP support efforts to charge accused Jan. 6 rioters: poll Trump warns Alaska GOP governor he'll revoke endorsement if he backs Murkowski Michigan Republican John James 'strongly considering' House run MORE to "fire him" over recent scandals.
Three protesters could be seen on C-SPAN cameras holding the signs early Wednesday morning behind Pruitt, coming in to view when he answered questions from senators about his spending at the top environmental watchdog agency.
At some point, the protesters holding the signs appeared to walk out or removed the signs, as they could no longer be seen behind Pruitt minutes later into his testimony.
Pruitt has weathered a deluge of negative press coverage in recent weeks, including reports that he directed aides to come up with "official" reasons to travel to preferred travel destinations when he joined EPA and rented a condo from the wife of a top energy lobbyist.
Democrats have called on Trump to fire Pruitt over the scandals, which they have challenged run counter to Trump's campaign promise to "drain the swamp" of government corruption in Washington.
During Wednesday's hearing, Pruitt was lectured by Democrats, including Sen. Patrick Leahy
Patrick Joseph LeahyDefense & National Security — Biden signs mammoth defense bill Biden signs 8 billion defense bill Photos of the Year MORE (Vt.), about his spending habits at the EPA as lawmakers discussed the agency's 2019 budget request.
“Forget about your own ego and your first-class travel and your special phone booths and all these things that just make you a laughingstock, and your agency a laughingstock," Leahy told Pruitt.
