Ryan Zinke

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Letter From 50 GOP Veterans in Congress to Walz: You Lied

They say VP candidate misrepresented his military service

(Newser) - A group of 50 military veterans who are serving in Congress want Gov. Tim Walz to "come clean" on his own military service, and said so in a letter addressed to him on Wednesday. Politico reports the letter, signed by both "longtime die-hard supporters of former President Donald...

Watchdog: Zinke Misused Position Then Lied About It

Feds say former Interior Secretary didn't break from foundation as promised

(Newser) - Former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke misused his position to advance a development project in his Montana hometown and lied to an agency ethics official about his involvement, according to a report from federal investigators released Wednesday. The investigation by the Interior Department's inspector general found that Zinke continued working...

Days Into New Job, Interior Chief Faces Ethics Inquiry

Watchdog opens investigation into David Bernhardt after Democrats complain

(Newser) - Less than one week into his new job, the Interior Department chief is facing an internal ethics investigation. The department's inspector general announced the inquiry into David Bernhardt after receiving complaints from eight Democratic senators as well as environmental groups, reports the Washington Post . Bernhardt is a former gas...

Zinke's Resignation Letter Faults 'Vicious' Attacks

Soon-to-be former Interior secretary's last day will be Jan. 2

(Newser) - Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke will be leaving the administration at year's end, and in his resignation letter, obtained by the AP , he faults "vicious and politically motivated attacks" against him for his exit. They've "created an unfortunate distraction" in fulfilling the agency's mission, he continued....

Ryan Zinke Out as Interior Secretary

A replacement will be named next week, per President Trump

(Newser) - Late last month, Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva penned an op-ed asking Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to step down from his post due to a swirl of "scandals and nepotism." It looks like Grijalva is getting his wish: Per Bloomberg , sources reported that Zinke told the White House he'...

Zinke Didn't Like an Op-Ed on Him. Things Got Personal

Interior secretary accuses Rep. Raul Grijalva of alcohol abuse, using tax dollars as 'hush money'

(Newser) - A scathing opinion piece on Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, penned by a Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee and published Friday by USA Today , has caught Zinke's attention—and he's offering some eyebrow-raising "thoughts" of his own online. The op-ed by Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva asked...

Zinke Signs Mining Ban Near Yellowstone

'There are places to mine and places not to mine'

(Newser) - Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke approved a 20-year ban on new mining claims in the towering mountains north of Yellowstone National Park on Monday after two proposed gold mines raised concerns that an area drawing tourists from the around the globe could be spoiled. As Zinke signed the mineral ban at...

Bad News, Bears: Obama-Era Rule on Hunting Reversed

New rule to allow bear baiting, spotlights for shooting in dens called 'unethical' by critics

(Newser) - The Trump administration is looking to dismantle Obama-era rules that made it more difficult to hunt on federal lands, including through the banning of bacon, honey, and doughnuts as bear bait. The 2015 rule also barred the use of dogs to hunt bears, spotlights to shoot bear cubs in dens,...

Zinke Tried to Say 'Hello.' He Should've Stuck to English

Interior secretary slammed for acting 'juvenile' at hearing on Japanese-American internment camps

(Newser) - Perhaps Ryan Zinke wanted to show off his foreign language skills at a hearing Thursday, but it ended with reprimands in very plain English. Politico and HuffPost report the Interior secretary attended a gathering of the House Natural Resources Committee and was asked about a commitment to $2 million in...

$139K for 'Secretary's Door' Raises Questions at Interior Dept.

Zinke spokesperson isn't commenting on work order

(Newser) - Records show the Interior Department spent nearly $139,000 last year for construction at the agency that was labeled on a work order as "Secretary's Door," the AP reports. A spokesperson for Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke did not provide answers Thursday to questions about whether changes had...

Shrinking National Monument Was About Oil After All: Report

NYT gets Interior Department emails that contradict Secretary Ryan Zinke

(Newser) - "Bears Ears isn't really about oil and gas," Interior Department Secretary Ryan Zinke said at a news conference in May 2017. Evidence from over 25,000 pages of department emails obtained by the New York Times shows that wasn't necessarily true. Last year President Trump called...

75% of National Parks Panel Quits in Protest

They say Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has yet to meet with them

(Newser) - "I wish the National Park System and Service well." It's a goodbye, but not just any goodbye: They're parting words from the chair of the National Park System Advisory Board , who was one of nine members to suddenly resign in protest on Monday. The federally chartered...

Zinke Abruptly Changes Course on Florida Offshore Drilling

He now says it's 'off the table'

(Newser) - The Trump administration said Tuesday it wouldn't allow oil drilling off the coast of Florida, abruptly reversing course under pressure from Republican Gov. Rick Scott. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said after a brief meeting with Scott in Tallahassee that drilling will be "off the table" when it comes...

Trump Plans to Open 90% of Offshore Land to Drilling

'Beyond reckless,' says one environmentalist

(Newser) - In a move environmental groups are calling "absolutely radical" and "beyond reckless," the Trump administration is planning the largest sale on leases for offshore drilling in US history. CNBC reports the proposal, announced Thursday by Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, would open 90% of the US'...

Patagonia Owner Sues Over Bears Ears: I Won't Let 'Evil' Win

Company sues to keep Trump administration from slashing national monument by 85%

(Newser) - Go to Patagonia's website and you're greeted with a message Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has deemed "nefarious" : "The President Stole Your Land." The California company is referring to President Trump's move to shrink the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah, but...

Zinke: Patagonia's Claim About Trump Is 'Nefarious'

Interior secretary calls it a 'lie'

(Newser) - Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is strongly disputing a claim by outdoor retailer Patagonia that President Trump "stole" public land by shrinking two national monuments in Utah. Zinke calls the claim—made in large type on the company's home page—"nefarious, false and a lie." Zinke said...

Puerto Rico Scraps $300M Contract to Small US Firm

Whitefish Energy only had two employees when Hurricane Maria hit the island

(Newser) - A lucrative but controversial contract awarded to a tiny US company to restore power to Puerto Rico is no more. Puerto Rico pulled the plug on the $300 million deal Sunday, hours after Gov. Ricardo Rossello called for the move, reports the Washington Post . The contract between the Puerto Rico...

Firm With 2 Full-Time Workers Lands $300M Puerto Rico Deal

Tiny Whitefish Energy happens to be financed by a big supporter of President Trump

(Newser) - A tiny for-profit company out of Montana has landed a $300 million contract to help get the power back on in Puerto Rico, reports the Spokesman-Review . How tiny? Whitefish Energy had just two full-time employees on the day Hurricane Maria slammed into the island. However, the company suggests that figure...

Interior Secretary Zinke Has an Unusual Flag Habit

He adheres to old Navy ritual in which his flag is raised when he's physically at HQ

(Newser) - President Trump may be busting some White House traditions , but other members of his administration are adhering to some unusual ones. The Washington Post reports on an "arcane" Navy ritual being observed by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. Whenever Zinke is physically in the Interior Department's Washington, DC, headquarters,...

Zinke Rips Staff Loyalty, Notes God's 'Sense of Humor'

Interior secretary estimates 30% of staff 'not loyal to the flag'

(Newser) - Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said Monday that nearly one-third of his department's workers aren't loyal to him and President Trump, adding that he's working to change the regulatory culture to be more business friendly. Zinke, an ex-Navy SEAL, said he knew when he took over the 70,...

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