Inquiries into Interior Sec. Zinke worry White House

Montana land deal under investigation by Dept. of Justice.

WASHINGTON — The White House is growing increasingly concerned about allegations against Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, according to two senior adminis- tration officials. President Donald Trump has asked aides for more information about a Montana land deal under scrutiny by the Justice Department.

Trump said he is afraid Zinke has broken rules while serving as the interior secretary and is concerned about the Justice Department referral, according to the officials, who spoke on the condi- tion of anonymity. But the president has not indicated whether he will fire the former Navy SEAL and congressman and has asked for more information.

In October, Interior’s Office of Inspector General referred the inquiry to the Justice Department to determine whether a criminal investigation is warranted. That referral concerns Zinke’s involvement in a Whitefish, Montana, land development deal backed by David Lesar, chairman of the oil services firm Halliburton.

The business and retail park, known as 95 Karrow, would be near multiple parcels of land owned by Zinke and his wife, Lola. The inspector general is looking at discussions Zinke had with Lesar and others about the development that could indicate he was using his office to enrich himself.

Interior has played no role in the Montana project, but congressional Democrats asked for an investigation in June because the department issues regulations on oil and gas development that has financial implications for companies such as Lesar’s.

No decision about Zinke’s tenure has been made, said the officials. But the shift within the West Wing high- lights the extent to which the interior secretary’s standing has slipped in recent months.

Both the White House and Interior declined to comment Thursday. Zinke has indicated that he intends to stay in his post, according to an individual who talked to him recently and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

White House officials’ trust in 57-year-old Zinke — a vocal proponent of the president’s push to expand coal, oil and gas production in the United States — began eroding at the start of the year, after he traveled to Flor- ida to meet with Gov. Rick Scott and announced that he would exempt the state from the administration’s new plan to allow drilling off the state’s coasts.

But administration officials’ concerns have intensified. Earlier this month, Inte- rior’s watchdog unit issued a report finding that Zinke’s travel practices and efforts to designate his wife as a department volunteer had raised red flags among Interior ethics officials.

A referral to the Justice Department means prosecutors will explore whether a criminal investigation is warranted. An agency’s inspector general refers cases to the Justice Department only when it has determined that there could be criminal violations, and regularly does so even before completing its own investigation.

A senior White House official said the White House understood the investigation was looking into whether the secretary “used his office to help himself.”

Last year, Zinke’s wife, Lola, signed an agreement that would allow the 95 Karrow development to use land owned by the Zinkes’ foundation, Great Northern Veterans Peace Park Foundation, as a parking lot. The proposed hotel, retail and microbrewery site is near several properties owned by the Zinkes.

Zinke stepped down as the foundation’s president after joining Trump’s Cabinet, and his wife took over in that capacity. But federal records show that he continued to discuss the project with Lesar and his son, along with a local developer.

THE NEW YORK TIMES Investigations into whether Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is using his cabinet office to create a profit for himself have been passed to the Justice Dept.