Ryan K. Zinke

obstruction-perjury · 2017-01-01 · U.S. Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General · OIG formally found that Zinke and his chief of staff Scott Hommel 'knowingly provided incorrect, incomplete, and misleading answers' to OIG investigators, violating their duty of candor as federal officials. OIG concluded they acted with 'the overall intent to mislead' investigators about Zinke's communications with MGM casino lobbyists and former Senator Dean Heller regarding blocking the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes' casino application. DOJ declined prosecution in summer 2021. No criminal charges filed.

Sources: Montana Free Press · NBC News · Washington Post · Connecticut Public

ethics-violation · 2017-01-01 · An Interior Department Office of Inspector General report found that Secretary Zinke repeatedly allowed his wife and other family members to travel in government vehicles in violation of department policy restricting such vehicles to individuals engaged in government business, and that he failed to disclose to ethics officials that hosts on a Channel Islands trip had previously held a fundraiser for him. The report also detailed a security detail accompanying a personal vacation to Turkey and Greece that cost taxpayers more than $25,000. Where spousal travel generated government costs, the Zinkes reimbursed Interior. No referral for prosecution resulted; Interior subsequently changed its policy to permit the secretary's spouse to travel in government vehicles. · OIG substantiated travel-policy violations; resolved through reimbursement and a subsequent Interior policy change; no criminal referral

Sources: The Hill · Government Executive · Roll Call

ethics-violation · 2017-08-21 · The Interior Department Office of Inspector General found that while serving as Interior Secretary, Zinke continued an extensive, direct, and substantive role negotiating with developers on a private real-estate project ("95 Karrow," including a proposed microbrewery) tied to a foundation he and his wife had established with a group of developers, one a Halliburton executive, despite having committed not to manage or provide services to the foundation after taking office. The OIG documented roughly 64 emails and texts between Zinke and the developers from August 2017 to July 2018, and found he directed subordinates to assist with foundation/development matters (including printing documents and arranging a Washington, D.C. meeting with the developers). The OIG also found Zinke did not comply with his duty of candor when questioned by Interior's ethics office about his continued involvement, giving answers that were not truthful. The OIG referred the matter to the Department of Justice for potential criminal conflict-of-interest violations; DOJ declined prosecution in the summer of 2021. The OIG report, released February 16, 2022, concluded the conduct did not rise to a chargeable conflict-of-interest violation but did substantiate the ethics and candor violations. · OIG substantiated ethics violations and failure of duty of candor; DOJ declined criminal prosecution (summer 2021); no further discipline possible as Zinke had already left office in 2019

Sources: E&E News (POLITICO) · NPR · National Parks Traveler · Department of Interior Office of Inspector General

ethics-violation · 2018-01-01 · The U.S. Office of Special Counsel found that Secretary Zinke violated the Hatch Act's prohibition on using an official position to influence an election when he wore "Make America Great Again" socks to an official government event and had a photo of them posted to his official Twitter account. OSC determined the violation was not willful. Zinke deleted the tweet after learning of the potential issue and received a warning letter dated December 20, 2018 — after he had already submitted his resignation as Interior Secretary but before he left office. · OSC found a Hatch Act violation (non-willful) and issued a warning letter; no further discipline imposed

Sources: The Hill · Talking Points Memo · Washington Examiner