and we see it's andrew wheeler coal lobbyist. so clearly the agenda is not going to be getting any better. hopefully andrew wheeler will be less effective at under mining all the environmental regulations that have been put in place years prior. administrations prior. maybe he'll be less corrupt. it would be hard to be more corrupt than scott pruitt. but i think what this shows us, this next appointment with andrew wheeler is that the following midterms will be really important. that we won't get somebody to head the epa who believes in science and thinks it's matters. he'll help fix the environment and help us have clean air and water. and do anything but pat the backs of energy lobbyists. so please get to the polls everyone this fall. >> chris continue,kristen, i wa that moment with you holding your child, captures people's attention, because you were thinking about your child, as we all do. do you think that might have helped be a tipping point in his departure? >> you know, because it caught on so much, i think maybe it helpe

they're not quite sure about andrew wheeler, although andrew wheeler is many things, a d.c. professional, who knows how operations run. i think they are holding out hope at least wheeler will look at science when he is making some of these decisions that the epa is involved with. >> talk to me about andrew wheeler a second. what do we know about him? >> andrew wheeler started at the epa 25 some years ago. then, he went to capitol hill, where he worked for senator inhofe. senator inhofe of oklahoma is one of the climate change skeptics. he worked there, left, went to k-street and followed that golden path that leads to lobbying job, lobbied for big coal, energy companies and lobbied the energy industry, epa and department of interior. the very people now he is going to regulate as we pointed out in some of our reporting, were paying him a year or so ago. that should be an interesting dynamic. andrew wheeler did have to pledge he wouldn't be involved in any decisions involving his former clients. we have that to deal with. >> likely very little change in policy. we know people

environmental protection agency, andrew wheeler. he was selected by president trump to become acting administrator starting july 9 2018. he was concerned by the u.s. senate -- on april 12. wheeler has dedicated his career to balancing sound environmental policies. he began his career in the 1990s at epa as a special assistant where he received three bronze medals. after his time at epa, he moved to congress where he worked on environmental issues and eventually became majority staff -- and chief counsel as well as a minority staff director. i would like to think of congress as our board of directors. i know that administrator wheelers experience will greatly benefit the agency. throughout his career, he has received bipartisan support and recognition for his work and his leadership. along with his other accomplishments, administrator wheeler is an eagle scout and perhaps most impressively of all he climbed mount kilimanjaro. i have seen firsthand a thoughtful and collaborative person and his approach to issues. i regularly see him sp

environmental protection agency, andrew wheeler. he was selected by president trump to become acting administrator starting july 9th, 2018. he was confirmed by the u.s. senate as the deputy administrator of epa on april 12th. administrator wheeler has dedicated his career to advancing sound environmental policies. he began his career in the 1990s at epa, as a special assistant in the pollution prevention and toxics office, where he received three bronze medals. after his time at epa, he moved to congress, where he worked on environmental issues and eventually became majority staff director and chief council, as well as a minority staff director of the senate committee on environment and public works. i like to think of congress as our board of directors, so i know that administrator wheeler's experience on the hill will greatly benefit the agency. throughout his career, he has received bipartisan support and representation for his work and his leadership. along with his other accomplishments, administer wheeler is an eagle scout and

the senate confirmed deputy at epa, andrew wheeler, will on monday assume duties as the acting administrator of the epa. i have no doubt that andy will continue on with our great and lasting epa agenda. we have made tremendous progress and the future of the epa is

what about the deputy administrator andrew wheeler, what do we know about him? >> this is it interesting, when he was confirmed the talk inside the agency and inside trump's constituency immediately turned to now he will probably go. he had the same agenda but without the scandal. he can do it probably more effectively because it will be quieter. harder to hit andrew wheeler because there most likely not the same kinds of headlines and ethic scandals. and so you are still talking about a person who is former industry lobbyist. i couldn'ted -- counted a list 30 some administrations he lobbied for. that's what they are questioning him leading the epa. >> less swampy scott pruitt. and sounds like this was a huge surprise over to the rank and file at epa. >> yeah, a couple of people i have spoken to or colleagues this did come as a surprise. that they were planning meetings with scott pruitt. that they didn't get a letter. a lot of people heard about this the same way we did which is through the president's tweets. >> interesting. one of the more colorful figures to

previously he was chief of staff, andrew wheeler, for center enhoff in oklahoma. a big climate change i don't want to sigh r say deny error s. it is in the mold ideological of scott pruitt. we'll see if he's in the same mode ethically. nicolle? >> peter baker, you and your colleagues have been reporting on scott pruitt for longer than just about anybody. and scott pruitt was interesting because he was president just doing donald trump's bidding at epa. he was a very ambitious politician in his own right and there is some reporting in recent weeks that has bubbled out, he thought he was ascend ant in donald trump's orbit. he was on such good standing with the president that he -- it's been reported he pitched himself as the next attorney general should jeff sessions not go the distance. >> it's pretty remarkable, right? he did not seem to be a man who thought his footing was about to slip. he thought he was on the way up. you know, he told the president, supposedly, that you should get rid of jeff sessions. if you do get rid of jeff segsz, i'm happy to step in ther

andrew wheeler is a former coal industry lobbyist. he's a lawyer, he's a lobbyist. what's clear from the president throughout his defense of scott pruitt as well as celebrating andrew wheeler is that the direction of the epa will not change and this will be dedicated to dismantling some of the regulatory and environmental protections put in place not just by president obama but by previous republican presidents as this president wants to do more to help the business community. chris. >> was there any indication, though, that this was coming? the timing is really interesting when you have a new communications director coming on. >> yeah. >> maybe he was able to convince the president. was it about -- we know the president watches social media very closely. you had a, i would say, unflattering bit of a confrontation in a restaurant with a woman going up to scott pruitt. that went viral. people watched it, i think, hundreds of thousands of times. anything that suggests, because i kept asking the question how many scandals, how many ethical investigations is the magic n

this the senate confirmed deputy at epa andrew wheeler.puty epa andrew wheeler will apparently replace him. i'm trying to read this off of the thing if we can make it bigger that, would be great. on monday assume duties as acting administrator of the epa, i have no doubt andy will continue with the great and lasting epa agenda. we have made tremendous progress and the future of the epa is very bright. again, scott pruitt is out and mr. wheeler is now in. we will get information. trying to get john roberts back up on the north lawn for us. more on this. and, remember, the epa chief scott pruitt has an embroiled in controversies about his expenses. theed a mrs. managers said we went past that and then there was the condominium in d.c., he rented this konld minimum, $50 a night, one room, and apparently that was also controversial because it might have been against the rules. the administration overlooked that. he's been under great pressure from even conservatives saying that the epa chief scott pruitt needs to resign. and now he apparently

pruitt will be replaced by his depu andrew wheeler, a former call industry lobbyist. robert: mr. wheeler. we know about all the controversies. we laid them out about mr. pruitt. but mr. wheeler comes in this same agenda ofulling back obama era regular lage,orking closely with different companies. that to me may be the big story here that the pruitt agendaoes on without pruitt. >> and perhaps even moreel effect some people have said some of the regulations are the rollbacks. they face legal challenges and h been overshadowed by all of the controversy around scott uitt. you have someone who is coming in very close to the coal industry who understands the regulations and rule making very wellteill do b at carrying out the president's agenda of rolling back tse things and being more pro-business. >> i think one of the points to make aruut scottt's demise is that people have failed for very different reasons in this administration. aurex tillerson failed b of his inability to develop a relationship with the president. in scott pruitt's case that was never a problem. he hady all accoun

andrew wheeler said he doesn't want the job.t will be interesting to see if he is in the mix or if trump goes outside and tries to pull another outsider into his cabinet. this is going to heighten the polarization in washington, make it a really long summer because remember, this is a busy time ahead. to ask you about the tone of the resignation letter. unrelenting attacks are unprecented and have taken a toll on all of us. what you make of that? he is not admitting anything. >> i am not surprised. he is fashioning himself as pbeingsecuted. he was confronted in a restaurant having dinner, like several t othmp officials have been, on his personal time. the allegations weighed on him. will't think he acknowledge this because he sees a -- himself as being in the right. i think he wants to run for office. you will see him going back to oklahoma trying to run for the senate or the governor. he has ambitions to be president. this puts a damper on it, but i don't think this is the last of scott pruitt because this letter and his commen

the agency will now be led by interim chief and former coal industry lobbyist andrew wheeler. nbc's peter alexander has the latest. >> reporter: for epa administrator scott pruitt, it's the political climate that got too hot. facing mounting legal and ethics scandals, pruitt, one of the most controversial original trump cabinet level picks is out. president trp aboard air force one tweeting, i've accepted the resignation of scott pruitt. adding, scott has done an outstanding job a relaxed pruitt spotted here at the white apartments 4th of july picnic. but under siege from 15 federal ethics in inquiries many zeroing in on spending including unprecedented securit detail, frequent first class air travel and a $43,000 soundproof phone booth installed in hisfice. >> much of what has been targeted towards me and my team ts been halfths or at best stories that have been so twisted they do not resemble reality. >> reporter: just this week a school teacher confronting pruitt at a d.c. restaurant. >> so, i would urge you to resign before your scandals push you out.or >> rr: in his resig

andrew wheeler, of course, is going to get criticism from a lot of people.omebody who worked for a senator that didn't believe in global warming. he also of course worked as a mouthpiece for a lot of the coal companies to keep them in business. the energy industry of course is going to watch this very, very carefully. they don't want to see a stepback in all of the progress that they have made over the last couple of years. >> neil: when you think about it, there is so much over what the epa has purview that, we talk about the energy and energy related industry. but really much of manufacturing america, these companies that like the fact that he was easing up, the approach of the trump administration was to ease up on a lot of the rules and regulations in place that they said and complained often were disproportionally thrown at them. >> it was. and youed had an administration that gave advantages to foreign manufacturers who didn't have the same type of stringent rules to take jobs from the united states. a lot of companies took their businesses elsewhere o

you talk about andrew wheeler here, he may say a creature of the swamp. he knows it well and the corridors and the principles and the players, how different do you think he's going to make the institution when he's running it? >> there is to sort of swamp creatures at this point of the trump administration and clearly pruitt was able to align himself with trump not only because he was able to effectively implement trump's agenda but he can deflect on some of the scandal and corruptions that squares on trump himself. i think you know ken makes a good point that wheeler is much more low-key, he's subtle and quieter and going to stay out of the limelight. trump is going to appoint an epa administrator who's going to advance his agenda and put corporate interests in front of the public's interest and who's going to be on the side of polluters instead of public health. that's the legacy that scott pruitt leaves. that's where andy wheeler is going to pick up running. he himself have said i really enjoy the pruitt's agenda, i think we'll move on along. >> shanno

andrew wheeler is said to take the input of staffers more. that doesn't mean he will end up on a different spot, he won't. he will end up in the same spot as pruitt. >> pruitt is skeptical on climate change being due to us. >> he's not going to be as vocal about it. he said in his confirmation hearing to be deputy administrator of the administration. he has no intention of reviewing a 2009 scientific find thag confirms the mainstream climate science and the underpinning of the climate regulations. i anticipate that debate will fall to the background, even though he has similar skepticism as pruitt. >> we listed things secretary pruitt did or wanted to do. a lot didn't have follow through. they are not things he can do or take time. what do you think the lasting legacy of scott pruitt is likely going to be? >> it's going to depend on who you ask. if you ask senator inhofe or president trump, his legacy is that he was attacked by environment lists and the mainstream media, as people call publications like you and ours for rolling back regulatio

he's saying his goodbyes to establishment andrew wheeler does share pruitt mr. griffin, you've been dealing the epitome of an outsider. his last job representing a coal company in the u.s. now he's at the head of the agency regulating his former clients. if the environmental agency thipgs getting rid of paul manafort at the epa, they said he should think again. >> president trump came in trying to put a wrecking ball to them, but. >> andrew wheeler, who up until today was the world number 2. it is a prime example of ma. he started his career in the epa in the early '90s and then went to capitol hill and lobbied for the types of companies that often fight epa pollution laws. now he's back in government in a position to regulate the very businesses that up until last year paid him. >> the fundamental conflict of interest that's at stake here is that andrew wheeler could use his position at the epa to benefit a former client. >> one of wheeler's former clients, energy fuels incorporated, is trying to get contracts from the epa right now, lobbying, according to its

andrew wheeler is now in charge. most republicans think essentially you'll have the same policy.s confirmation hearing on the question of climate change. >> do you believe human activity is driving the temperature increasing on the planet? >> i believe that man has an impact on the climate, but what's not completely understood is what the impact is. >> a lot of people in the science community, most people in the science community would tell you, no, we do know the impact. it's time to have a debate about what to do about it. let's stop debating the impact and start debating what to do about it. >> it's unclear if he gets the nomination. he's honestly the actor now. i think there's a time limit for the amount of time he can stay in that. we'll see if he gets the ultimate nomination or someone else who needs to come through and get nominated and confirmed by the senate. >> 200 days or something like that. he'll be there for a little bit. we shall see. again, scott pruitt is gone. i wouldn't place a bet if you're waiting for big policy changes. thanks f thanks for joining us today.

. >> i want to bring in here that the new acting epa chief will be andrew wheeler. was the deputy to scott pruitt. pruitt, injure wheeler is a former coal lobbyist. >> someone representing the coal industry. is it possible that prewitt found out about his recognition -- resignation via tweet? >> it is very possible. was never an inner circle guy. you didn't see him conversing with the president very often. i don't know the donald trump will continue a relationship but given scott pruitt's relationship -- interest in random rating himself i wouldn't be surprised if he figures out a way to do pretty well in private industry. >> what is the unfinished business for the administration at the epa? >> there is so much that they have only started doing in terms of the deregulatory initiatives. .hey have to finish they are working on the rollback on methane regulations and water pollution rule. there are still frankly some conservatives who are pushing the epa to take on the endangerment ending to redo the epa's landmark conclusion that carbon dioxide emissions were a danger

andrew wheeler's background is in the energy sector, as well.ustry lobbyist before being confirmed by the senate to the second—in—command of the epa. so i think it is safe to say that he will continue a lot of the policies that scott pruitt started, particularly with regard to energy regulation and called regulation. 0ne with regard to energy regulation and called regulation. one of the things i heard about pruitt from people who had met him, even critics, was that he was very sharp. he had a good grasp of the issues, he was a presence in the room, and was going to bea presence in the room, and was going to be a tough opponent for them to deal with. so i think there is a breath of relief from some in the environmental lobbying groups and activist groups that maybe this‘ll bea activist groups that maybe this‘ll be a less formidable adversary than scott pruitt turned out to be. but i think that they can count on it being a similar sort of thrust for the epa going forward. that you so much, anthony, for clearing up all this and the latest drama in

>> well, the deputy who's at the epa, his name is andrew wheeler. he's a former oil and dpgas lobbyist. he has spent a lot of time on capitol hill working for one of the biggest climate change deniers, who was serving in the senate. and there's no question that andrew wheeler, who actually sent that note out to epa employees just a few minutes ago, he'll be taking over as acting. unclear if the president is going to actually try to nominate him for that position. but kate, one thing that's clear, the policies and the issues will be exactly the same. no new policy changes with andrew wheeler, but he certainly does not have the cloud of controversy hanging over him that scott pruitt did. kate? >> hard to compare with that. great to see you, jeff. thank you so much. >>> "outfront" tonight, mark preston is here, senior political analyst, and julie hirschfield davis is "new york times" white house report, and tim naftali is here, presidential historian. all right, so, julie, the scandals surrounding pruitt have been going on for months. what do you think

meet acting chief andrew wheeler.ott pruitt who he is replacing, he is at least somewhat skeptical climate change is manmade. he worked for republican senator of oklahoma who once brought a snowfall to the senate floor to cast doubt on claims about global warming. he is temporarily replacing pruitt who announced his resignation yesterday, after countless accusations of improper behavior ranging from an improper apartment rende rental to a $40,000 phone booth, to say nothing of the 16 investigations into pruitt's behavior. the question should be asked, what finally prompted his exit after all of that. with me, two reporter who have been all over the story, juliette isle, elena plott. let me start with you, julie. you have reporting that yesterday scott pruitt was told by the white house time to submit a resignation letter. as we say, it comes after all of this reporting, all of the revelations and it is only yesterday that that order comes in. what finally prompted the president to say, okay, he's got to go? >> well, w

his deputy andrew wheeler takes over as acting administrator on monday. he's expected to continue policies critics regard as harmful to the environment. >>> today marks the first of several key deadlines the administration faces as it struggles to reunite thousands of families split up at the border. july 6th, the court ordered deadline to put parents in phone contact with their children. more deadlines for reunification by age bracket next week and later this month. still officials will not say how many kids taken from their parents remain in federal custody. that makes it hard to know how many reunifications have actually happened. >> on thursday health and human services secretary alex azar said this. >> it is under 3,000. i want to give you an outer bound. under 3,000, and that is the maximum set. it will not be 3,000. it will not be close to 3,000. it will be under 3,000. >> we're talking about children here, by the way. we're talking about round numbers of children who are separated from their parents. to be fair, under 3,000 represents all separate

part of the reason that it's so important that these investigations are carried out and really andrew wheeler in his acting position shouldn't go forward with any policy decisions until we get a full sense of the corruption within the agency. he's part of that problem right now. until he steps out and says that he's not going to really carry out all the problems and all the scandal that we saw with administrator pruitt. >> i'm sometimes amazed the white house gets through the day. given what i have heard about how it operates and just the sheer amount of vacancies they have and the processes that do not seem to be in place to make the place function smoothly. >> right. i'm not sure the place does function smoothly. there's kind of a constant deference to the man at the top, which is why you saw scott pruitt sort of remain in his post for so long as he continues to have the ear and the appreciation and respect of the president. within the white house itself and the administration to a certain extent more generally, it's sort of very siloed with very, you know, not as much communication as you

the new epa chief andrew wheeler has not been a job 24 hours and is already being attacked after thelebrated the resignation of scott pruitt, their focus is on wheeler and his lobbying for coal companies. massachusetts democratic sen. ed markey tweeting about time with pruitt out and andrew wheeler at the home the epa administrator will no longer be big oil's right-hand man, it will be king cole's best lobbyist. pruitt resigned over unrelenting attacks against him and his family. also heading for the hot seat, devon nunez referring 15 people for possible public testimony on the russia investigation, most have ties to the 2016 anti-trump dossier and opposition research firm fusion gps. special counsel robert mueller reportedly tapped more prosecutors for his probe into russian interference in the presidential election. this despite having no evidence so far in his 13 month investigation. the probe costing $16.7 million in its first 10 months alone. over $16 million over ten months. donald trump could be on the guest list when mexico's new leader takes office, she is expected to invite

he gets those two words here, senate confirmed for the replacement, andrew wheeler. the president pointing out he has been confirmed by the senate. 51-49 senate department. where the policies have been contentious as we are here. are we looking at the permanent epa administrator or? >> depends on how much pressure he comes under from his president. wheeler is quoted that he did not want the job, never wanted the job. but a lot of insiders thinking he is more effective than pruitt was because he is low key and has the same agenda. i think this is a steving moment as well -- teaching moment as well in terms of what it means to drain the swamp. draining the swamp was never about corruption, it was about draining the agencies. if you look at donald trump's comments, he thought pruitt was doing an excellent job. he had rolled back wo two regulations. holding a lot of new regulations at bay and even folks like christine todd whitman had said when pruitt came in, that was going to be a danger. now you see a lobbyist like pruitt and now wheeler coming in to push through this

andrew wheeler, if confirmed, or whoever else if confirmed, may not have that.ind you what happened a few days ago in a restaurant where a woman named kristin mink, a teacher, confronted scott pruitt with a child in her arms talking about the environment, why don't you resign before your scandals push you out. let's listen to that again. >> this is my son. he loves animals. he loves clean air. he loves clean water. while you're slashing -- you have been hanging -- while approving the pipeline, we deserve somebody who actually does protect our environment, someone who believes in climate change and takes it seriously for the benefit of all of us including our children. so, i would urge you to resign before your scandals push you out. >> i want to bring into the conversation emily holden, politico's climate change and energy reporter. emily, to that point, too kristin mink's point -- i talked to her on tv the day after she confronted scott pruitt -- and i said what matters more to you, his scandals and the environment? by a long shot, the environment, the air, the

. >> reporter: right, that's andrew wheeler. he's been the deputy administrator. he'll be the interim administrator until the president is able nominate somebody else and that person hearings.wheeler unlike pruitt n almost twoo decad he'sf years fairly well known in d.c. circles. ite interesting to bl w see if the president decides to offer him the top job. hower in the past wheeler ps critical of thedu'lreai. stoha tt at all intof whher or not the him that top job. neefor for sy sen of what'sitis november. >> reporter: right, that was the big question if pruitt was going to use his job at the epa to help him forward hisr political c possibly into a run for office. at this point this maye hurt his chances at that. we'll see what happwhs en he oklahoma if voter or hsiatnio i gs him. >> yup.ay lauren blanchard alwgood to see you. >> thank you. >> reporter: always good to>> see you. all right. moving on, president trump's frontrunner for the sacing somee highlightingudge brett kavanaugh's previous rulings. >> weighing in, democratic strategist j pain and republican s

andrew wheeler is not expected to take the agency in a much different direction ideologically.former aide to the senator from oklahoma that's where scott pruitt was from and a notable public skeptic of global warming, which he's described as a hoax. i think it's rargts something that removes a public relations headache for the trump administration he was reluctant to do it. in fact scott pruitt yesterday was at a white house picnic, but now he's out and they'll move onto the next chapter. >> got it. thank you very much john harwood. hey, jimmy, what do you think? >> listen, things aren't really going to change. for one big reason is that scott pruitt has yet to really accomplish very much listen, environmental rules they're highly bureaucratic. you can't just repeal a rule without a lot of public comment. but the environmental regulations today aren't really any different than during barack obama's final year that may change as time goes on and your new epa chief who i would imagine would be like a clone of scott pruitt. listen, if you're a republican president it's very easy t

the president announced to deputy andrew wheeler will stum pruett's duties. former coal lobbyist with close ties to the industry. unlike pruett is not a d.c. outsider. he worked on the senate environment and public works committee, and we know -- he knows the ins and outs of how washington works. he was also top aide to oklahoma senator jim inhoff, a vocal denier of climate change. when he was asked during his confirm's hearing back in november, this is what he said. "i believe man has an impact on the climate, but what is not completely understood is what that impact is. one mother made some news this week when she flat out confronted scott pruett at a restaurant. here is the moment have you to see. >> this is my son. he loves animals. he wants clear air. he wants clean water. we need somebody at the e.a.a. that does protect our environment. somebody that believes in climate change. >> with pe now the woman you saw on the video, mom and teacher, kristen. guess you got what you wanted. scott pruett is out. that was the first goal. but, unfortunately, his poli

now, what's trending in the business news this morning. 0n quartz, scott pruitt‘s replacement andrew wheeler number two at the environmental protection agency is a former coal lobbyist who has suggested scrapping laws limiting greenhouse emissions. on business insider, "the worst crash in our lifetime is coming." dire warnings from the veteran investor that the us is overdue another financial crisis. 0n forbes, whyjeff bezos covets cristiano ronaldo. the amazon boss is buying up sports rights to attract people to amazon prime, after buying 20 english premiership matches he is now looking at spain's la liga. and don't forget, let is know what you are spotting online. use the hashtag #bbcthebriefing. that's it for the business briefing this hour, but before we go, here are the markets. a man from new zealand has become the first to kayak solo from australia to his home country. it took scott donaldson two months to make the 3,000 kilometre journey across the tasman sea, paddling 16 hours a day, sleeping inside the kayak, and wearing a seatbelt in case it capsized. 0n the way he had to deal wit

the new acting epa chief andrew wheeler. >> i did work for a coal company and i'm not at all ashamed coal company. >> reporter: according to documents and photos obtained by cnn, wheeler arranged a meeting between his boss bob murray, ceo of one of the country's largest coal mining companies and energy secretary rick perry and presented the secretary with an action planned quote, reliable and low cost electricity. a plan that included rewriting coal ash regulations. that same plan was also sent to the epa. the organization wheeler now runs. >> the epa is in a rush to do things that will benefit these coal ash utilities. purely because of the influence of their trade associations and their lobbiesists. >> reporter: this week, the first set of proposed rule changes were finalized. among the changes? ground water no longer needs to be monitored if the plant can prove that it is not polluting the aquifer. our request to speak with administrator wheeler was declined. in a statement provided by the epa, he said, quote, our actions mark a significant departure from one size fits all policies

but andrew wheeler is someone who is very well respected and is expected to continue the policies thatpruitt's epa had been pursuing under donald trump's administration, brooke. >> got it. sara gam on, you are all over it. thank you so much for that. i have about 60 seconds left. david chalian, does this mean another battle? >> it could. at some point the president wants to put forward a new person for that, that would open up a big cabinet confirmation battle. i would be surprised if he wants to do that this fall, in the midst of the supreme court nomination battle, and the midterm election. wheeler seems to be in good stead, as sara was saying. so perhaps that will be avoided this fall. this also obviously is going to have huge rm cages, brooke, for scott pruitt future. this was a guy interested in political career of his own, maybe running for federal office from oklahoma one day. this sort of being dismissed, i understand he resigned. but no longer being required to work in the trump administration is going to be a bad marker on his record politically as he tries to piece together

the president tweeted andrew wheeler will step in administrator. >> mr. trump a tweet. have we heard anything directly from pruitt were his reasons for resigning? there was controversy with many of his moves. >> we haven't heard anything publicly from pruitt just yet. we did obtain his resignation letter. in it he wrote it was a blessing to serve under president trump, but he also noted what he called unrelenting attacks on him and his family, saying that they took a sizable toll on them, but he made no mention of any of those scandals. larry and kristen? >> arlette saenz reporting, live in washington, thank you. >>> a judge today rejected a request by the trump administration to block two california laws that protect illegal immigrants. the judge refused to block a law requiring the state to review detention facilities where immigrants are held, and another that prevents local law enforcemenmformation on jail in. but he did put a third law on emises without a warrant. >> a tent camp protest outside the u.s. immigration building in san francisco is now in its fourth day

the epa's nber t andrew wheeler will now assume the role of acting administrator as of monday.tion on the investigations that pruitt is facing land have that come up at the top of ther for you right here. >>> police are looking for two guys from it this bran d.c. carjacking. they drove up and as you can see in the red lexus, one gs out of it and sneaks into the black mercedes there and takes off while the driver was still pumpin gas this. happened yesterday at an exxon on pennsylvania avenue in southeast. turns out the drive of the mercedes was council chairman bill mendelssohn's girlfriend. more ahead at 5:00 as well. >>> a tuberculosis scare at john hopkins hospital complex. baltimore health officials are at the scene and the possiblele e happened during transport across an internal bridge across two cancer research buildings. both buildings have been evacuated and both employees have been isolated for evaluation. s here fireworks displ in the district led to dozens of calls for first responders last night. in addition to fires, we're told several people got injured by unauth

andrew wheeler. . coal lobbyist and he previously tried to get rid of the regulations here a look from dr. sanjay gupta why the regulations were kbremted by osh and what the roll back could mean for the environment and your health. >> it's quiet. it's safe. it's a family atmosphere. >> danielle grew up in walnut cove, north carolina. the tranquil town of just over 1,000 people sits along the picturesque lake. >> the lake that was a big reason to move in this area. >> dream location it had everything we needed and the price was right. >> the price was right because just over the trees is the steam station. one of duke energy's largest coal burning power plants and one of the realities of the plants is that you need a place to dispose of the waste. and that traditionally meant coal ash ponds like this. it may look like a beautiful lake. but it is basically an unlined pit in the ground with millions of tons of ash. mercury, cad me yum, arsenic, contaminants associated with cancer, right in danielle's bark

burman via the white house obviously all of this is just now breaking and that andy wheeler, andrew wheelere over the duties as the acting administrator of the epa as of monday but scott pruitt, there was a lot of questions as to why president trump had been still backing him with so many calls for they were calling it a tipping point basically, the tipping point for pruitt, for the administration whether it was reports about multiple controversies whether or not it was misuse of epa funds and whether or not it was the fact that maybe he performed his duties and others from both sides of the aisle that we're basically saying scott pruitt was the right choice. we'll take a quick commercial break and get more details from blake burman bringing us here on fox business again, scott pruitt the epa administrator has resigned and given his resignation to president trump. we will be right back with more on this incredible breaking news. retail. under pressure like never before. and it's connected technology that's moving companies forward fast. e-commerce. real time inventory. virtual changing room

i want to ask you about andrew wheeler, his deputy, taking over as acting epa administrator. he's not only a former coal lobbyist but a lobbyist for murray energy in west virginia, the subsidiary was involved in that horrible mining disaster that led to the deaths of six men, six miners. where does wheeler stand? he won't be very different on policy, does he? >> i think they have a lot of agreement relative to the fact that they think the obama administration overreached, that the regulations are hurting the energy sector, and that there's a need to make changes in the clean power plan which was supposed to be fighting climb change and the waters of the u.s., it's supposed to clean drinking water supplies and a number of other rules that will be targeted, including perhaps automobile efficiency standards will continue to be targeted. but i think there will be a change in tone. and i think that already we're getting signals he's going to be a more collegial player with safe. there's a sense of relief inside the epa. even among those who perhaps don't agree with the policies th

the president goes on that the senate has confirmed the deputy epa manager andrew wheeler and it doesk like wheeler will be the one to go forward and take over at the environmental protection agency. the president concludes, i have no doubt that the -- andrew wheeler will continue with what he calls the great and lasting epa agenda. he goes on to say that the future of the ep actual is bright. this just in. epa administrator scott pruitt has resigned. president trump has accepted that resignation. and it now appears that the epa will move on way new head. this comes after months of scandal that we have been reporting, many in the democratic party have been calling for his ouster. even some republicans have been saying that as well and we see that it has happened. >> one of the many changes to his cabinet in a year and a half as president. >> let's get you outside an get the forecast because the weekend is tomorrow. >> yeah, basically. we are talking about warming temperatures. started out way bit of a cooldown and we are talking about some 80s and some more 90s headed our way. but it

in the afternoon, the acting administrator, andrew wheeler addresses agency staff at the headquarters. the senate finance subcommittee looks at paid family leave. >> sunday night on q&a,. >> when she came back she called me sitting in the aisle as she tossed it at me and said no change, i decided right then and there, i am going to get that amendment. >> gregory wants it, the man responsible for getting the 27th amendment to the constitution ratified. i was in the library in texas and i came across a book that had ended the chapter devoted to amendments that had passed congress but and not enough state legislators had approved. this one just jumped out at me. it said, no law varying the compensation for the services of the senators and representatives shall take effect until an election of representatives has intervene. i remember standing in the aisle holding that book in my hand. it was as if lightning had struck. i could feel the pulsating electricity of it all. i thought, instead of writing about the equal rights amendment and the disputed extension, why don't i write about this a

in the afternoon, the acting administrator, andrew wheeler addresses agency staff at the washington headquarters in the senate finance committee looks at page leave. c-span's "washington journal", live every day with news and policy issues that impact too. coming up on wednesday morning, former senate judiciary general counsel on the process of concerning the supreme court nomination. then we talk about the russian investigation and former fbi agent peter structs upcoming testimony. florida republican congressman, francis rooney had president trumps meeting in brussels. watch live at 7:00 a.m. join the discussion. >> the senate democratic policy and communications committee held

because he was effectiveobn his j as epa administrator and articulating and advancing an ay, andrew wheeler, pruitt's deputy a former co lobbyist wil. ng will he remainhelm of theth goes to a confirmation process. one thing we do know that is scott pruitt's last day at epa administrator is tomorrow.n one since the deadly shooting at the capital gazette in annapolis maryland. fi people were killed when a gunman opened fire inside the newsroom. today, a moment of silence was co attry. 2:33 ms across the this afternoon, te time thestd.ot s ahothising moment, i everyone to join me in a moment of silent prayer reflection. >> the editor of also rang aer pellap for each who ed during the shooting. the gunman jarred ramos is charged with fiveounts of first-degree murder, he's held without bond. three of the fiveictims will be laid to rest this weekend. >>> potential changes to the national eoo couventually change how families enjoy the zoo submitted a proposal to the national capital planning commission to tightenies and kitur s families safeee. fox 5 cori coffin is live at the national zoo with mo

this is unveiled by andrew wheeler the new director of the epa who had tried to previously get rid ofons when he was a lobbyists. and now, what could this mean not only for the environment but your health. >> it is quiet and safe and nice family atmosphere. >> reporter: growing up in walnut grove, indiana, this is the house that sits right next to the lake. that is the reason for the move? >> yes, a dream location and the price was right. >> reporter: the price was right because just over those trees is the creek steam station, one of duke energy's largest coal burn ing power plants. one of the realities of the coal burning plants is that you need a place to dispose of the waste, and that is tradition a ally has meant coal ash ponds like this. it may look like a beautiful lake, but it is basically an unlined pit in the ground with millions of tons of ash. mercury, cadmium, arsenic, contaminants associated with kans cancer right in danielle's backyard. in 2009, danielle began experiencing headaches. i went to the hospital, and they told me that i had a brain tumor, and they were not ly

his replacement, his deputy andrew wheeler, a former lobbyist for the coal industry.alexander for that report. >>> now on to immigration. the trump administration is racing to meet a court-ordered deadline to reunite families separated at the southern border. the department of health and human services secretary alex azar saying yesterday about 3,000 children are in their care. that number is hundreds more migrant kids than earlier counted, with hhs believing about 100 of the children are under the age of five. "the new york times" reports on friday the leadership of the department of health and human services sent out a plea to federal public health workers for help with an exhaustive manual search of records. that involved scrubbing the documents of an estimated 12,000 children to determine which had been separated from their parents by the authorities as opposed to arriving in the country without a parent or other relative. >>> president trump defended congressman jim jordan against claims he ignored decades-old allegations of sexual abuse made by members of ohio s

the president announced news and named andrew wheeler as the acting head of the agency. in pruitt's official resignation letter, he noted it was an honor to serve under president trump. actually, it was such an honor, he mentioned that phrase eight times throughout the letter, and signed off with, "your faithful friend, scott pruitt." joining me, eric lipton, "new york times." don reeds is senior correspondent for "inside epa." eric, you got some new reporting that came out just minutes before the announcement that pruitt was gone. you said, quote, last summer, one of his senior schedulers was fired by mr. pruitt's former deputy chief of staff who said he let her go because she was questioning the practice of retroactively deleting messages from the calendar. lay out some of the other messages, details of your reporting, and anything you might know about why, after all of these investigations, he's gone now. >> sure. i mean, what was happening there apparently, according to kevin shemlusky and another aide who was a scheduler who had worked on the hil and koch industries

murray's lobbyist, the new acting epa chief andrew wheeler. >> i did work for a coal company and i'm of the work i did for the coal company. >> according to documents and photos obtained by cnn, wheeler arranged a meeting between his boss, bob murray, ceo of one of the largest coal mining companies, and energy secretary rick perry. they presented the secretary with an action plan for, quote, reliable and low-cost electricity. a plan that included rewriting coal ash regulations. that same plan was sent to the epa. the organization wheeler now runs. >> the epa is in a rush to do things that will benefit these coal ash utilities. purely because of the influence of their trade associations and their lobbyists. >> reporter: and this week, the first set of proposed rules changes were finalized. among the changes, ground water no longer needs to be monitored if the plant can prove that it is not polluting the aquafer. our request to speak with the administrator was declined. he said, quote, our actions mark a significant departure from the one size fits all policies in the past and saved ten

live in washington now at the environmental protection agency, where acting epa administrator andrew wheeler will speak to staff there. there have reports of a number of resignations since former epa administrator scott pruitt stepped down last week. it should be getting underway shortly l

pruit's replacement, his deputy andrew wheeler a former lobbyist for the coal industry. kate? >> peter alexander at the white house tonight, thank you. >>> with the drama over his latest cabinet resignation still playing out, president trump is moving closer now to deciding who he'll nominate to the supreme court. late today he said he had narrowed the short list down to four candidates with two or three finalists among them. nbc justice correspondent pete williams with more on the contenders. >> reporter: with the decision just four days away, president trump has apparently narrowed the list to three federal appeals court judges. a source familiar with the process tells nbc news it's brett kevin kavanaugh of washington and raymond kethledge and amy coney barrett. he's a strong advocate of gun rights. >> we can't under estimate how important the second amendment is. judge kethledge is an avid outdoorsman and hunter. >> reporter: kavanaugh faces some conservative opposition over his time serving in the w >> i believe my white house experience made me a more knowledgeable judge

scott pruitt replacement andrew wheeler won't be any better for the environment. i'm curious to get your thoughts about wheeler. we know he's had some ties to the coal industry in terms of policy. are we likely to see him continue the policies that pruitt pursued, and perhaps even be more effective because he won't be grabbing as many headlines, scandal-ridden headlines the same way that -- >> absolutely committed to following those policies and executing many of the regulatory rollbacks that were started by scott pruitt. i think on that end, it is true that as someone who served in the epa, worked on capitol hill, and also worked in the private sector as a lobbyist, he is arguably much more steeped in the minutia of the policies. he really knows how to attack them. he's been addressing them in a workmanlike fashion, since he's came on board as pruitt's number two. he will pursue it. he did, however, in his first statement to employees, vow to protect public health and the environment, which is not something that came up in scott pruitt's initial speech to employee