Howard Kurtz: Fox ‘barely’ covered Pruitt resignation, calls it a ‘mistake’

Fox News host Howard Kurtz on Sunday critcized his own network for “barely” covering the resignation of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt.

“I want to say that Pruitt’s resignation was barely covered on Fox, in prime time or early the next morning … and I think that was a mistake,” Kurtz said on the show he hosts, “MediaBuzz,” adding that he did get a chance to discuss Pruitt’s resignation on “Ingraham Angle” with Laura Ingraham.

Kurtz’s comments came just days after Pruitt resigned from his post as EPA chief after being ensnared in a series of scandals that included his spending of taxpayer dollars as well as scrutinized management and ethical decisions.

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Kurtz listed off a few of them on his show, including his $50-a-night rental of a Capitol Hill condominium from the wife of a prominent energy lobbyist and his high spending on security details. 

“I don’t have time for everything else,” Kurtz said. 

Kurtz also added that most of the reports about Pruitt’s scandals have proven to be true and pushed back against the argument from other panelists that his resignation was due to a coordinated effort from the media. 

Pruitt resigned last week after facing bipartisan scrutiny from many lawmakers over the decisions he made as the head of the EPA.

His decision to step down came as more than a dozen investigations, including from the EPA’s Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, focus on his controversies. 

Kurtz also noted the number of conservatives that called for Pruitt to step down, Ingraham among them.

In June, Ingraham said Pruitt had to go because his judgment was hurting the president.

“PRUITT BAD JUDGMENT HURTING @POTUS, GOTTA GO: Pruitt had aide, GOP donors help wife find job,” Ingraham tweeted.