The Inspector General has launched an investigation into Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s air travel, after complaints that Zinke was using a private plane owned by an oil executive. That particular flight, from Las Vegas to Zinke’s home state of Montana, cost taxpayers $12,000, according to the Washington Post. But other taxpayer-funded flights, including one to speak at The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, are also being questioned.
Zinke has said “his travels were approved by ‘career employees’ of the Interior Department’s ethics office,” and called the suspicions about his use of chartered private flights ‘a little B.S,’” reports Reuters.
Top Democrats on the Natural Resources and Oversight committees have called for more transparency as to the nature of Zinke’s trips. “We need to know how many taxpayer-funded trips Secretary Zinke and his wife Lola have taken to serve their personal or political interests rather than the public trust,” said Congressman Raul Grijalva.