PREZ BIG EYES DOOR
Scandal-bedeviled Zinke exiting
Another high-ranking member of the Trump administration is leaving under a cloud of suspicion.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, the target of numerous federal ethics investigations into issues including potential conflict of interest, will exit at the end of the year, President Trump announced Saturday.
“Ryan has accomplished much during his tenure and I want to thank him for his service to our Nation,” the president tweeted, adding that he will announce Zinke’s replacement “next week.”
The outgoing official decried “vicious and politically motivated attacks” on him and his family in a resignation letter to Trump, writing that “meritless and false claims” had “created an unfortunate distraction.”
Probes into his conduct, Zinke (inset) insisted, found that “in each matter the conclusion has been and always will be that I follow all rules and regulations.”
He was the subject of more than a dozen investigations, several of which concluded with no finding of wrongdoing. But a probe headed by the Justice Department is ongoing. The focus of that in- quiry is reportedly a Montana land deal in which a foundation that Zinke founded played a role.
Other investigations looked into travel by his wife and Zinke’s political activity.
Resigning could let Zinke, a former Montana congressman, dodge questioning in probes of the Trump administration that Democrats plan to launch when they take over the House of Representatives next month.
Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who is set to resume her old job as speaker of the House, blasted Zinke on his way out the door.
“Secretary Zinke has been a shameless handmaiden for the special interests,” she said Saturday.
But Republicans including Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) blew Zinke kisses as he packed his bags.
She praised Zinke’s “efforts to secure energy dominance” — one of Trump’s key campaign promises and a major rallying point for the GOP.
Earlier this month, Trump said his chief of staff, John Kelly, was resigning. Kelly follows in the footsteps of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley and about 40 others.