Energy
Feds Drop Probe Into Zinke For Alleged Fundraising Violations
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The Federal Elections Commission (FEC) will not investigate Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke for his participation in a GOP fundraiser in the U.S. Virgin Islands in March 2017, Politico reports.
The FEC said the fundraiser fell outside of its jurisdiction and any investigation into the matter would have to be taken up by the Virgin Islands territorial government, according to a Nov. 21 FEC letter obtained by Politico.
Zinke took part in the fundraiser, along with other political activities, on a trip that included official business for the Department of the Interior (DOI). Administration officials are allowed to take part in events outside of official business as long as none result in additional expense for taxpayers.
Sally Jewell, who served as Interior secretary under former President Barack Obama, defended Zinke’s political activity in Oct. 2017, telling reporters, “If he had legitimate business while he’s on the island, to do a political thing on the side I don’t think that is that unusual.”
The Virgin Islands Republican Party has a track record of questionable conduct. In October, the campaign of GOP Rep. Mia Love, who recently lost her re-election bid to continue representing Utah, called the GOP branch a “sham,” according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
The Virgin Islands GOP reported spending over $200,000 on Love’s re-election campaign, but Love’s campaign manager Dave Hansen said the help never materialized.
“They raise money and we get none of it. Basically, it’s a fundraiser for whoever is running the group,” Hansen told The Salt Lake Tribune.
The FEC probe is the second investigation into Zinke that has fallen flat since Thanksgiving. An inspector general probe into possible misconduct related to shrinking the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument designation last year vindicated the Interior Department’s actions.
“We found no evidence that [Utah state Rep. Michael] Noel influenced the DOI’s proposed revisions to the GSENM boundaries, that Zinke and other DOI staff involved in the project were aware of Noel’s financial interest in the revised boundaries, or that they gave Noel any preferential treatment in the resulting proposed boundaries,” a Nov. 21 letter from the inspector general of the DOI said.
The DOI declined to comment on the integrity of the Virgin Islands Republican Party. The Virgin Islands government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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