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Democratic lawmaker: Pruitt not 'living up to the faith that he says he has'

Virginia's Democratic Rep. Don Beyer said there is a "cognitive clash" between outgoing Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt's religious words and his conduct in office.

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Eli Watkins (CNN)
WASHINGTON (CNN) — Virginia's Democratic Rep. Don Beyer said there is a "cognitive clash" between outgoing Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt's religious words and his conduct in office.

"I don't want to say his faith isn't real, but he's certainly not living up to the faith that he says he has," Beyer told CNN's Jim Acosta on "The Situation Room" on Thursday.

Beyer was reacting to Pruitt's resignation letter, where the embattled agency head said President Donald Trump is in office "because of God's providence."

"I believe that same providence brought me into your service," Pruitt's letter to Trump read. "I pray as I have served you that I have blessed you and enabled you to effectively lead the American people."

Beyer couched his response slightly, saying he did not want to make "broad conclusions," but he still contrasted Pruitt's many allegations with religious codes.

"I don't want to make any broad conclusions except that it's always weird when you have somebody who is so unethical blends in all the God stuff," he said, adding, "He seems not to live up to the kind of code that anybody from a Jewish, Christian, Muslim faith would go to."

Pruitt announced his resignation on Thursday following months of mounting allegations about ethical lapses, citing in his letter "the unrelenting attacks" on himself and his family.

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