Jonathon Berman, jonathon.berman@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC -- Today, the Washington Post reported that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke failed to keep complete records of his much maligned travel, and in some cases, did not keep any at all. Not only that, Interior’s attorney’s are unable to “distinguish between personal, political, and official travel.” The Department of the Interior’s Inspector General noted that Zinke’s travel was “deficient” and “lacked oversight.”
Zinke, like former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, was caught using taxpayer funds for official and political travel. However, while Price apologized and resigned, Zinke has been dismissive of his use of taxpayer funds.
Zinke has previously claimed that he had received approval in advance of his taxpayer funded private flights. Now, he and his staff are trying to pass the blame onto the Obama administration.
In response, Sierra Club Legislative Director Melinda Pierce released the following statement:
“It’d be generous to say Ryan Zinke lacked oversight when he used taxpayer funds for his private planes. It’d be generous to say Zinke lacked oversight when he failed to maintain complete records of his travel. And it’d be generous to say Zinke lacked oversight when he lied to his boss, Donald Trump, and the American people. The reality is Ryan Zinke is taking Trump and Americans as chumps, trying to live the life of a New York City real estate mogul while lying through his teeth.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.