Toyota offered Pruitt private test drive of new Lexus model, emails show

As it stated in Emails exchanged last fall between one of Pruitt's former top aides, Millan Hupp, and a representative for Toyota –- the parent company of Lexus -– indicate Pruitt's apparent interest in taking the Lexus LC500 for a test drive after visiting Toyota headquarters in Plano, Texas. "Is there a good day in the next week or so for the Administrator to go for a lunchtime drive?" A spokesman for CREW, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told ABC NEWS in a statement that Pruitt should have "Immediately declined" the the private test drive. "If Pruitt had taken the private test drive, he could have violated ethics rules on accepting gifts from a prohibited source," the statement says. On Wednesday, ABC News reported that two of Pruitt's top lieutenants at the agency were resigning, including Hupp, who communicated with the Toyota representative about the test drive.

Toyota offered to give Pruitt test drive in new Lexus: report

Emails exchanged between a representative for Toyota and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show that the auto company offered Administrator Scott Pruitt a private test drive of a new Lexus model, ABC News reported on Friday. The report notes that there is no evidence that the private test drive ever took place. Millan Hupp, a top aide for Pruitt who resigned this week, and a representative for Toyota communicated with each other via email in 2017 after Pruitt visited a Toyota office in Plano, Texas. Pruitt reportedly took an interest in the Lexus LC500, and Toyota followed up multiple times to see if Pruitt would be interested in a test drive. In December 2017, Pruitt said that the EPA would partner with Toyota to reform management at the agency.

Gettel building new Manatee County Toyota dealership on US 41

as declared in [RENDERING PROVIDED] ▲MANATEE COUNTY — A massive expansion of Gettel Toyota of Bradenton is underway, with heavy equipment laying the groundwork for a two-story, 57,212-square-foot dealership plus a 31,492-square-foot collision-repair shop. Besides the two Gettel Toyota dealerships in Manatee County, the company owns one in Punta Gorda and another in Gainesville — part of Gettel's portfolio of 21 dealerships of various brands. The recession slowed the company's construction schedule on both Manatee County Toyota stores. "We planned on constructing Gettel Toyota of Lakewood in 2007, but with the market downturn that was delayed," Bisplinghoff said. Since we started that project during slower times, Toyota allowed us to delay the start of Gettel Toyota of Bradenton until now."

collected by :Edison Noah

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