Justice Dept. investigating whether Zinke lied to inspector general
Source: Washington Post
The Justice Departments public integrity section is examining whether newly departed Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke lied to his agencys inspector general investigators, according to three people familiar with the matter, a potential criminal violation that would exacerbate Zinkes legal woes.
Zinke, who left the Trump administration Wednesday, was facing two inspector general inquiries tied to his real estate dealings in his home state of Montana and his involvement in reviewing a proposed casino project by Native American tribes in Connecticut. In the course of that work, inspector general investigators came to believe Zinke had lied to them, and they referred the matter to the Justice Department to consider whether any laws were violated, the people familiar with the matter said.
The departments public integrity section has since been exploring the case, the people familiar with the matter said. The extent of its work is unclear, though the inspector general had questioned witnesses in an apparent attempt to scrutinize Zinkes account, one of the people said.
A spokesman for Zinke said Zinke voluntarily participated in two inspector general interviews about the Connecticut tribal matter and to the best of his knowledge answered all questions truthfully. The spokesman said Zinke had not been contacted by the Justice Department and that disclosures about the matter violated inspector general and Justice Department protocols.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/justice-dept-investigating-whether-zinke-lied-to-inspector-general/2019/01/03/6c9dea06-0eac-11e9-84fc-d58c33d6c8c7_story.html?utm_term=.beddc54f8c0c
Yeehah
(4,603 posts)I'd love to see this criminal scum behind bars.
B Stieg
(2,410 posts)the odds Zinke's also been doing it are very high!
NewJeffCT
(56,829 posts)that the answer to that question is "YES" he did lie.
mountain grammy
(26,676 posts)Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,485 posts)Stinky Zinke is still in trouble
BigmanPigman
(51,672 posts)but he won't be able to get away from investigations about violating laws while he was part of the most corrupt cabinet in memory.