The top government watchdog overseeing the Interior Department has referred an investigation into agency head Ryan Zinke to the Justice Department (DOJ) for potential prosecution.
One of the ongoing probes by Interior’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) into Zinke will now be looked into by the agents at the DOJ, two people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post on Tuesday.
CNN, citing two sources, reported later Tuesday that the DOJ inquiry is looking into whether Zinke used his office for personal gain.
Zinke told CNN that he didn’t know about the DOJ probe, and called the effort “politically driven.”
“They haven't talked to me,” he told the news outlet.
“It will be the same thing as all the other investigations. I follow all rules, procedures, regulations and most importantly the law. This is another politically driven investigation that has no merit.”
A spokesperson for Interior's OIG said they can't comment on on-going investigations.
The agency currently has three open investigations into the secretary, including a real estate business deal Zinke entered into with the chairman of oil field services company Halliburton and another on a decision he made against approving a casino project in Connecticut after heavy lobbying from casino giant MGM...
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