Grand jury is examining whether former interior secretary Ryan Zinke lied to federal investigators

Source: Washington Post

Prosecutors have begun presenting evidence to a grand jury in Washington in their probe of whether former interior Secretary Ryan Zinke lied to federal investigators, according to two individuals briefed on the matter.

The closed-door deliberations are focused on Zinke’s decision not to grant a petition by two Indian tribes to operate a commercial casino in Connecticut, according to these individuals, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because grand jury proceedings are not public.

The Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes’ push to run a gambling facility in East Windsor, Conn., had sparked a lobbying campaign by MGM Resorts International, a competitor that opposed the planned casino. The proposal was the subject of intense scrutiny at Interior and the White House during President Trump’s first months in office.

The tribes allege that Zinke decided not to grant their application because of political pressure, and Interior’s Office of Inspector General opened an investigation into the matter a year ago.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/grand-jury-is-examining-whether-former-interior-secretary-ryan-zinke-lied-to-federal-investigators/2019/02/22/0fb2427a-36c4-11e9-854a-7a14d7fec96a_story.html?utm_term=.19c9761ced9b