Ryan Zinke to resign as interior secretary, Trump says; Zinke had faced allegations of misconduct involving a land development deal wapo.st/2Exgf4b
The White House has viewed Zinke as the Cabinet member most vulnerable to a Democratic probe. His conduct has spurred at least 15 investigations, nine of which were closed wapo.st/2BmAOwd
The most serious issue for Zinke was an investigation into whether he used his office for personal gain in connection with a land deal he forged in Whitefish, Montana wapo.st/2zPbHSa
Zinke first attracted controversy as Interior Secretary after Trump asked him to scrutinize the country’s national monuments - and Zinke recommended reducing several wapo.st/2BpQoHM
Trump ultimately chose to shrink Utah's Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in a move praised by conservatives, but decried by environmentalists and several Native American tribes wapo.st/2Bk11M1
Zinke and his aides tailored their review of these protected sites to highlight the value of logging, ranching and energy development that would be unlocked if they were not designated national monuments. It was retracted a day later wapo.st/2Bp5HjA
In early 2018, Zinke created a new outdoor recreation panel whose members included insiders from the oil, gas, and mining industries, as well as people with ties to trophy hunting
wapo.st/2Eqjvxo
wapo.st/2Eqjvxo
In addition, Zinke pushed to let his wife Lola ride in government vehicles with him although Interior policy prohibited this practice. Zinke later changed the policy to allow it.
wapo.st/2Em8j50
wapo.st/2Em8j50
The White House ultimately became concerned that Zinke violated federal rules, which contributed to his ouster. wapo.st/2QTd7p9
