U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke testifies during a Senate hearing on May 10, 2018 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Feb 16, 2022
An inspector general report made public Wednesday accuses former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke--who is currently running for U.S. Congress in Montana--of misusing his federal office to push a commercial development project in the state, prompting calls for the Biden Justice Department to hold him accountable.
"It's time for Congress and the Justice Department to make him answer."
Over the course of its investigation--one of many probes Zinke faced during his tenure--the Interior Department inspector general's (IG) office found that "Secretary Zinke failed to abide by his ethics obligations in which he committed not to manage or provide any other services" to a foundation that played a key role in the development deal, which was backed by a senior executive at the oil giant Halliburton.
Zinke helped establish the foundation in question in 2007. According to the IG report, "Zinke repeatedly communicated with the developers of the 95 Karrow project and negotiated with them on behalf of the foundation by discussing the use of foundation property for the project, specific design aspects of the project, and the development of a microbrewery on the property."
The report also states that Zinke lied to a federal ethics official when questioned about "his continued involvement in foundation matters, including the 95 Karrow project."
Zinke's campaign dismissed the IG report as a "political hit job." The Associated Pressreported that Zinke contends his "family's involvement in the foundation had led to the restoration of land that was made into a park where children can sled."
The IG's office said it referred its findings to the Biden Justice Department, but the DOJ "declined prosecution of this matter in the summer of 2021."
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), one of the lawmakers who requested the IG report back in 2018, said in a statement that "today's report shows us yet again that former President Trump's appointees didn't view their positions at the highest level of our government as an opportunity to serve our country, but as an opportunity to serve the interests of their personal pocketbooks."
Kyle Herrig, president of the government watchdog group Accountable.US, added that "the inspector general has raised several serious ethical and legal questions about Ryan Zinke's conduct as Interior secretary during the Trump administration."
"It's time for Congress and the Justice Department to make him answer," said Herrig.
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An inspector general report made public Wednesday accuses former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke--who is currently running for U.S. Congress in Montana--of misusing his federal office to push a commercial development project in the state, prompting calls for the Biden Justice Department to hold him accountable.
"It's time for Congress and the Justice Department to make him answer."
Over the course of its investigation--one of many probes Zinke faced during his tenure--the Interior Department inspector general's (IG) office found that "Secretary Zinke failed to abide by his ethics obligations in which he committed not to manage or provide any other services" to a foundation that played a key role in the development deal, which was backed by a senior executive at the oil giant Halliburton.
Zinke helped establish the foundation in question in 2007. According to the IG report, "Zinke repeatedly communicated with the developers of the 95 Karrow project and negotiated with them on behalf of the foundation by discussing the use of foundation property for the project, specific design aspects of the project, and the development of a microbrewery on the property."
The report also states that Zinke lied to a federal ethics official when questioned about "his continued involvement in foundation matters, including the 95 Karrow project."
Zinke's campaign dismissed the IG report as a "political hit job." The Associated Pressreported that Zinke contends his "family's involvement in the foundation had led to the restoration of land that was made into a park where children can sled."
The IG's office said it referred its findings to the Biden Justice Department, but the DOJ "declined prosecution of this matter in the summer of 2021."
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), one of the lawmakers who requested the IG report back in 2018, said in a statement that "today's report shows us yet again that former President Trump's appointees didn't view their positions at the highest level of our government as an opportunity to serve our country, but as an opportunity to serve the interests of their personal pocketbooks."
Kyle Herrig, president of the government watchdog group Accountable.US, added that "the inspector general has raised several serious ethical and legal questions about Ryan Zinke's conduct as Interior secretary during the Trump administration."
"It's time for Congress and the Justice Department to make him answer," said Herrig.
An inspector general report made public Wednesday accuses former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke--who is currently running for U.S. Congress in Montana--of misusing his federal office to push a commercial development project in the state, prompting calls for the Biden Justice Department to hold him accountable.
"It's time for Congress and the Justice Department to make him answer."
Over the course of its investigation--one of many probes Zinke faced during his tenure--the Interior Department inspector general's (IG) office found that "Secretary Zinke failed to abide by his ethics obligations in which he committed not to manage or provide any other services" to a foundation that played a key role in the development deal, which was backed by a senior executive at the oil giant Halliburton.
Zinke helped establish the foundation in question in 2007. According to the IG report, "Zinke repeatedly communicated with the developers of the 95 Karrow project and negotiated with them on behalf of the foundation by discussing the use of foundation property for the project, specific design aspects of the project, and the development of a microbrewery on the property."
The report also states that Zinke lied to a federal ethics official when questioned about "his continued involvement in foundation matters, including the 95 Karrow project."
Zinke's campaign dismissed the IG report as a "political hit job." The Associated Pressreported that Zinke contends his "family's involvement in the foundation had led to the restoration of land that was made into a park where children can sled."
The IG's office said it referred its findings to the Biden Justice Department, but the DOJ "declined prosecution of this matter in the summer of 2021."
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), one of the lawmakers who requested the IG report back in 2018, said in a statement that "today's report shows us yet again that former President Trump's appointees didn't view their positions at the highest level of our government as an opportunity to serve our country, but as an opportunity to serve the interests of their personal pocketbooks."
Kyle Herrig, president of the government watchdog group Accountable.US, added that "the inspector general has raised several serious ethical and legal questions about Ryan Zinke's conduct as Interior secretary during the Trump administration."
"It's time for Congress and the Justice Department to make him answer," said Herrig.
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