The EPA's Scott Pruitt Really, Really Likes The Ritz-Carlton's Lotion
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt is certainly a fan of luxury travel accommodations.
Congressional probes have recently looked at accusations of a litany of wasteful travel spending, often using taxpayer money to fund frequent first-class trips to destinations he personally wants to visit, telling aides to "find me something to do [in those locations]" as a pretext to justify the use of government funds.
He even wanted to sign a charter for a private jet for $100,000 per month — until aides were able to talk him out of it. (The EPA's annual travel budget is $450,000).
Now, a new report from the Washington Post says that Pruitt asked members of his round-the-clock protective detail to drive him to "multiple locations" in search of the lotion available at The Ritz-Carlton.
"While EPA security agents are required to protect Pruitt at all times — while he is working and during his off hours — the two individuals said the administrator had asked members of the detail to perform tasks that go beyond their primary function," the report in the Post said. "In one instance, they said, he directed agents to drive him to multiple locations in search of a particular lotion on offer at Ritz-Carlton hotels."
Now, the report doesn't exactly say what brand of lotion Pruitt was on the hunt for, but The Ritz-Carlton is known for stocking the luxe line of Asprey "Purple Water" toiletry products, as TPG Reviews Editor Nick Ellis can attest.
Nick is a big fan of the Asprey "Purple Water" toiletry line, as he noted in his review of The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong. "If you ever find yourself at a Ritz-Carlton property, do your absolute best to swipe as many bottles of shampoo, conditioner and shower gel as you can," Nick noted. "The Asprey 'Purple Water' products are great — my bathroom at home has a nice stash I regularly use when I travel."
So ... it seems Pruitt isn't completely off-base with his intrepid quest for the line of lotions in the DC area.
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| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
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The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
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- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month