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turbinetree

(24,703 posts)
Thu Apr 26, 2018, 03:56 PM Apr 2018

Seriously, What Is A Biometric Lock: How Pruitt Dealt With Tough Questions

Source: Talking Points Memo

By Matt Shuham | April 26, 2018 2:22 pm

Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) had a simple question toward the end of a congressional hearing with EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt on Thursday: Why did he need two biometric locks, which together cost nearly $6,000, for his office?

Pruitt’s response was illustrative of the strategy he used for most of the hearing when pressed on things like the $43,000 soundproof booth in his office, five-figure raises awarded to several of his senior aides at the EPA and a slew of other wasteful spending scandals: Shift blame and run out the clock.

“Let me ask you this,” Welch began. “Did you have installed, or were there installed, biometric locks on your office?”

“There were problems with locks on two of the three doors, and changes were made to those locks,” Pruitt responded. “No instruction was given for biometric locks, but that was a decision made by those individuals.”

Read more: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/seriously-what-is-a-biometric-lock-how-pruitt-dealt-with-tough-questions



November 2018 cannot get here fast enough
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Seriously, What Is A Biometric Lock: How Pruitt Dealt With Tough Questions (Original Post) turbinetree Apr 2018 OP
It's a thumbprint or retina scan, most likely FakeNoose Apr 2018 #1
It can be any anatomical check. forgotmylogin Apr 2018 #19
This is the Trump administration. It probably requires dick pics. tclambert Apr 2018 #21
Pruitt is a slimeball and should resign, but I can see this scenario with the locks. dameatball Apr 2018 #2
EPA, not CIA. Security like that is only needed because he is up to something criminal. lagomorph777 Apr 2018 #22
Having worked in government procurement for many years, it is quite possible that staff was told.... dameatball Apr 2018 #24
Pruitt is paranoid because he knows he is destroying the EPA. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Apr 2018 #3
No he's worried about getting caught with the bribe money. Scruffy1 Apr 2018 #12
I think he is worried about the severed heads he has in his freezer. Maraya1969 Apr 2018 #18
I could actually understand Ben Carson's OldHippieChick Apr 2018 #4
Self important, paranoid, criminal prick bigbrother05 Apr 2018 #5
And you forgot a sexual predator and traitor, and three enabling traitor children turbinetree Apr 2018 #7
A biometric lock is proof our EPA administrator is way too paranoid jmowreader Apr 2018 #6
Not paranoid; he's actually hiding something very big. lagomorph777 Apr 2018 #23
Defeating a Keypad mahatmakanejeeves Apr 2018 #8
Yes it was...................... turbinetree Apr 2018 #9
One of my all time favorites... paleotn Apr 2018 #17
I think it's illegal on a federal building. Scruffy1 Apr 2018 #10
Because it was a difficult administrative decision to just spend $32... forgotmylogin Apr 2018 #11
This scene has been used in so many movies it's become cliche. LastLiberal in PalmSprings Apr 2018 #13
My home safe has a biometric lock... flotsam Apr 2018 #14
CNN just said that the W House is now distancing itself from him BigmanPigman Apr 2018 #15
Ah. The lock installers made the decision to use $6000 locks. Kablooie Apr 2018 #16
iPhones have biometric locks. truthisfreedom Apr 2018 #20

FakeNoose

(32,659 posts)
1. It's a thumbprint or retina scan, most likely
Thu Apr 26, 2018, 04:04 PM
Apr 2018

Something that is unique to him, and can't be copied presumably. The guy must have a lot he needs to hide. We should be very curious about why a public servant on gov't payroll needs to be so secretive.

forgotmylogin

(7,530 posts)
19. It can be any anatomical check.
Fri Apr 27, 2018, 01:45 AM
Apr 2018

Disney had a thing installed (I assume they still do) where season pass holders would make a V with their fingers on the scanner as they ran their card through, and this finger measurement (angle, length?) verified that the person using the pass was the actual owner. Basically, this thwarts multiple people using the same admission pass on different days and eliminated someone having to look at the photo and make a judgment call about the person's appearance.

dameatball

(7,399 posts)
2. Pruitt is a slimeball and should resign, but I can see this scenario with the locks.
Thu Apr 26, 2018, 04:05 PM
Apr 2018

Security/maintenance issues are probably not his purview. Plus he usually rips off a lot more than six grand.

dameatball

(7,399 posts)
24. Having worked in government procurement for many years, it is quite possible that staff was told....
Fri Apr 27, 2018, 09:38 AM
Apr 2018

.....what he should have based on a set of perceived needs. Whether those needs were necessary appears doubtful but I sincerely doubt Pruitt was savvy enough to provide spec's.
Anyway, he still needs to be fired, along with Carson and the rest of the gluttons.

Scruffy1

(3,256 posts)
12. No he's worried about getting caught with the bribe money.
Thu Apr 26, 2018, 04:55 PM
Apr 2018

If you think he's working for free, think again.

Maraya1969

(22,486 posts)
18. I think he is worried about the severed heads he has in his freezer.
Thu Apr 26, 2018, 10:49 PM
Apr 2018

He seems just that creepy to me.

OldHippieChick

(2,434 posts)
4. I could actually understand Ben Carson's
Thu Apr 26, 2018, 04:17 PM
Apr 2018

expensive dining room more than I can understand soundproof booths and biometric locks. I don't like any of it, but at least a dining room has some regular person relativity. Pruitt's crap makes no sense except that he is as loony as his boss.

bigbrother05

(5,995 posts)
5. Self important, paranoid, criminal prick
Thu Apr 26, 2018, 04:17 PM
Apr 2018

Leave it to OK to supply what will likely be the worst of this administration and that's saying a lot with Flynn, Sessions, Carson, and Perry to skew the curve.

jmowreader

(50,561 posts)
6. A biometric lock is proof our EPA administrator is way too paranoid
Thu Apr 26, 2018, 04:34 PM
Apr 2018

You've seen biometric locks in all the spy movies. All the doors you need to put your finger on a scanner, or have your eyeball scanned, to open are controlled by biometric locks.

And considering the $43,000 Cone of Silence, the paranoid travel arrangements, and so on and so forth that Pruitt is known to have done, I'm thinking they need a real and very thorough investigation of exactly what Pruitt is doing and whether Trump put him up to it.

lagomorph777

(30,613 posts)
23. Not paranoid; he's actually hiding something very big.
Fri Apr 27, 2018, 09:06 AM
Apr 2018

EPA is probably the perfect place to hide the payments from Putin. And skim a little off the top.

Scruffy1

(3,256 posts)
10. I think it's illegal on a federal building.
Thu Apr 26, 2018, 04:48 PM
Apr 2018

Keys are very tightly controlled and must be accounted for. The building engineer would have to have a way of enetering in an emergency. I will make some phone calls and find out.

flotsam

(3,268 posts)
14. My home safe has a biometric lock...
Thu Apr 26, 2018, 05:55 PM
Apr 2018

...which scans thumbprints and can store up to thirty distinct prints. This safe cost me less than $200.

BigmanPigman

(51,613 posts)
15. CNN just said that the W House is now distancing itself from him
Thu Apr 26, 2018, 06:28 PM
Apr 2018

like with Dr. Ronny Jackson. He took himself out of the running today (even though it is not on the news).
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=2046230

Kablooie

(18,635 posts)
16. Ah. The lock installers made the decision to use $6000 locks.
Thu Apr 26, 2018, 06:37 PM
Apr 2018

The biometrics probably won't open until they sense an overload of slime.

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