WASHINGTON — Former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke failed to meet ethical obligations by continuing to be involved in Montana land negotiations and directing government employees to assist him while serving in his Cabinet post, government investigators said Wednesday.
Zinke, who served under former President Donald Trump and is now running to reclaim his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, “failed to abide by his ethics obligations” because of his continued involvement in the land deal, the Interior Department’s Office of Inspector General said in its report. He also violated his “duty of candor” when questioned about the matter, the report said.
Zinke furthermore “misused his official position in violation of federal regulations by directing his subordinates to assist him with matters related to” the project and a foundation he established in 2007.
Zinke has previously said he stopped being involved in foundation matters after becoming secretary, and the Justice Department declined to prosecute the matter last year, the inspector general said.
The Zinke campaign called the report “a political hit job.”
“The report is totally subjective,” and the inspector general’s office “admitted they released it because their conclusions were too flimsy and biased for DOJ to even consider,” the campaign said in an emailed statement. “The Zinke family was able to create a free and open space for people to enjoy.”
Questions around the land deal and so-called 95 Karrow project in Zinke’s home town of Whitefish, Montana, were among the factors leading to his departure midway through Trump’s term.
The venture involved the charitable foundation Great Northern Veterans Peace Park Foundation, which Zinke created in 2007, and a property development group backed by David J. Lesar, previously chairman of oilfield services provider Halliburton Co.
The foundation, run by Zinke’s wife, Lolita, had allowed Lesar and his family to use a portion of its land as a parking lot for a planned development. “Secretary 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 inspector general’s report said.
Democrats alleged that a meeting Zinke held in 2017 with Lesar, Lesar’s son, and a Montana developer may have violated federal conflict of interest laws given the company’s broad interests before the Interior Department. But investigators said they did not substantiate allegations Zinke violated conflict of interest laws, since he did not participate in any official matters involving the foundation.
The inspector general also dismissed allegations that Interior Department staff tried to conceal Zinke’s involvement in the matter.
“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,” Rep. Raúl Grijalva, an Arizona democrat and chairman of the natural resources committee, said in a statement.
Grijalva, as ranking member of the committee in 2018, requested the probe.
