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U.S. NEWS Saturday 5 January 2019
Continued from Front couple during a vacation
He added that they were to Turkey and Greece.
needed in part to unfetter For the energy industry, Zin-
energy companies bound ke brought relief from rules
by unreasonable drilling imposed under Obama
curbs, largely imposed un- that were meant to limit
der former President Barack drilling in sensitive wildlife
Obama. habitat, curb emissions of
"Teddy Roosevelt said con- the greenhouse gas car-
servation is as much devel- bon monoxide and protect
opment as it is preserva- water supplies.
tion," Zinke said, reference Despite the Democrats'
a 1910 speech by the Re- newfound power in Wash-
publican president. "Our ington after taking control
work returned the Ameri- of the House of Represen-
can conservation ethic to tatives, industry representa-
best science, best prac- tives said Zinke's impact will
tices ... rather than an elitist be lasting. That's because
view of non-management they involved agency regu-
that lets nature take its lations rather than congres-
course." sional action and came In this Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018 file photo, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, right, accompanied by
House Democrats plan to at the order of Trump, said Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, left, and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, cen-
put Zinke's almost two-year Dan Naatz, vice president ter, speaks during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, in Washington.
tenure under the spotlight of government relations Associated Press
with oversight hearings be- for the Independent Petro-
ginning next month, said leum Association of Ameri- future bid he might make who spoke on condition of With reports of overflow-
Adam Sarvana, a spokes- ca. for public office. He said he anonymity. ing trash bins spurring calls
man for Rep. Raul Grijalva "Although Secretary Zinke won't run for Montana gov- In Zinke's telling of events, for the parks to be closed
of Arizona, the Democrat in was effective at what he ernor in 2020, but did not Trump remained fully sup- until the shutdown ends,
line to lead the House Nat- was doing, the policy really rule out a future run. portive to the end and it Zinke offered some part-
ural Resources Committee. came from the president," In the weeks leading up to was the secretary himself ing advice as he prepared
The hearings initially will Naatz said. "We don't ex- his resignation, the White who made the decision to to head back to his home-
focus on policy changes pect any major changes." House concluded Zinke go. His departure comes town of Whitefish, Mon-
such as "giveaways" to the Until Trump nominates and was likely the Cabinet amid a partial government tana, just outside Glacier
oil and gas industry under the Senate confirms a per- member most vulnerable to shutdown in which Zinke or- National Park: "I would en-
the leadership of Zinke, Sar- manent replacement, Zin- investigations led by newly dered many national parks courage everyone that vis-
vana said. He added they ke's shoes will be filled on empowered Democrats to stay open, saying visitors its their parks to help pitch
later could be expanded an acting basis by his dep- in Congress, according to shouldn't' be penalized for in, grab a trash bag and
to include the various eth- uty, David Bernhardt, a for- an administration official the political feud centered take some trash out with
ics investigations pend- mer lobbyist for the oil and not authorized to publicly on Trump's proposed bor- you," he said. "Pack it in,
ing against Zinke, a former gas industry. Left-leaning discuss personnel matters der wall with Mexico. pack it out."q
Navy SEAL and avowed groups that campaigned
Trump loyalist. against Zinke already have
The investigations have turned their attention to
ranged from a probe into Bernhardt with claims that
a land deal involving Zinke his prior work leaves him
and the chairman of en- compromised.
ergy services giant Hallibur- "David Bernhardt is too
ton, to questions about his conflicted to serve him in
decision to reject a casino any position, whether it's
in Connecticut sought by deputy, acting or full Inte-
two tribes. rior secretary," said Aaron
During his interview with the Weiss with the Center for
AP, Zinke denied a Wash- Western Priorities. Weiss
ington Post report that Inte- also suggested the pend-
rior Department investiga- ing investigations against
tors believe he may have Zinke are likely to continue
lied to them, which has and said the former secre-
reportedly prompted an tary "can't make his trouble
examination of potential go away by simply walking
criminal violations by the away."
U.S. Justice Department's In his resignation letter, Zin-
public integrity section. ke said he was compelled
Several other investigations to stop down because the
into Zinke concluded with political attacks against
no findings of wrongdoing. him had created a distrac-
In one case he was faulted tion from Trump's drive to
by investigators for violat- boost U.S. energy produc-
ing a department policy by tion.
allowing his wife to ride in He told the AP that the alle-
government vehicles with gations fit into a "playbook"
him. That report also said used by the administration's
the Interior Department critics to stifle Trump's en-
spent more than $25,000 ergy agenda, smear Zinke's
to provide security for the name and undercut any