The Interior Secretary has ethics inquiries and looming investigations swirling around him, and he says these are ‚false allegations.‘<\/b>
\nRyan Zinke, the Secretary of the Interior, announced his resignation on Saturday. This wasn\u2019t a complete surprise as ethics inquiries swirl around Zinke, looming investigations could drain him financially and reports had already surfaced in October about his pending departure at the end of the year.
He is subject to nvestigations into potential conflicts of interest, his travel habits and political actions. But in his resignation letter Zinke describes those enquiries as \u201cvicious and politically motivated attacks.\u201d
In a social media blast, Zinke said he\u2019s proud of his service, and he acknowledges a rocky road ahead of trying to defend himself on what he calls \u201cfalse allegations.\u201d
\u201cI love working for the President and am incredibly proud of all the good work we\u2019ve accomplished together,\u201d he wrote. \u201cHowever, after 30 years of public service, I cannot justify spending thousands of dollars defending myself and my family against false allegations.\u201d
President Trump sent out a tweet Saturday about ZInke\u2019s resignation, saying the former Montana congressman \u201caccomplished much during his tenure\u201d and that the White House will name its replacement next week.
Zinke\u2019s departure comes just three weeks before Democrats take back majority of the House, which could lead to deeper drilling into the ethics inquiries surrounding Zinke.
Top Democrat leaders Saturday were quick to bash Zinke, one even calling him part of the swamp that needed to be drained.
\u201cRyan Zinke was one of the most toxic members of the cabinet in the way he treated our environment, our precious public lands, and the way he treated the govt like it was his personal honey pot,\u201d Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted. \u201cThe swamp cabinet will be a little less foul without him.\u201d
Nancy Pelosi, who\u2019s expected to become the Speaker of the House again next month, said Zinke was \u201ca shameless handmaiden for the special interests\u201d and someone who had \u201cstaggering ethical abuses have delivered a serious and lasting blow to America\u2019s public lands, environment, clean air and clean water.\u201d
The Associated Press obtained Zinke\u2019s resignation letter that says allegations against him are \u201cmeritless and false claims,\u201d and adds that \u201cto some, truth no longer matters.\u201d
Zinke has worked with the Trump administration\u2019s business-friendly agenda as he aimed to develop oil, coal and natural gas on public lands. One of the top ethical queries against him is a land deal in Montana that intermingles the chairman of Halliburton, who does business with the Department of the Interior, and a foundation ZInke created.
Other accusations against ZInke, in which he says he did nothing wrong, include redrawing boundaries of national monument in Utah and blocking Indian tribes in Connecticut from opening casinos.
Then there were travels with his wife, Lola Zinke, that have also come under the microscope. According to the inspector general\u2019s office of the Interior, Lola rode in government vehicles when department policy states says non-government officials can\u2019t ride in government vehicles. Then there was the department spending more than $25,000 on security for Zinke and his wife when they traveled to Turkey and Greece.
Zinke\u2019s last day, according to the letter, will be Jan. 2.<\/p>\n