WASHINGTON (AP) " New internal documents say a sweep for hidden listening devices in Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt's office was shoddy and wasn't properly certified under U.S. government practices.
The documents obtained by congressional Democrats were described in a letter Monday to the Republican chairman of a House oversight committee investigating ethical issues swirling around the EPA administrator. They say Pruitt requested the sweep.
The Associated Press had reported that EPA paid $3,000 to contractor Edwin Steinmetz to search Pruitt's office for bugs. Steinmetz also works for a private company run by Pasquale "Nino" Perrotta, an EPA special agent who heads Pruitt's 20-member security team.
Steinmetz found no listening devices. The EPA Office of Homeland Security later determined the sweep used "very basic and cursory" methods.
Steinmetz defended his qualifications.