11.30.18

Ranking Member Grijalva Calls on Interior Secretary Zinke to Resign in New USA Today Op-Ed

Washington, D.C. – Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who will seek to chair the Natural Resources Committee in the next Congress, called on Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to resign this morning. In a USA Today op-ed available at http://bit.ly/2SlZLz0, Grijalva lays out Zinke’s scandals, corporate favoritism, dumbing down of science, destruction of employee morale and twisting of Interior’s mission and concludes that Zinke does not offer “credible leadership” of the agencies he oversees.

 Key excerpt:

While the secretary continues to project confidence, questions have grown since the election about his future plans, and the White House reportedly fears that he would be unable to withstand scrutiny on Capitol Hill. Those fears are justified. Mr. Zinke has never even tried to offer an explanation for the sheer scope of his well-documented scandals.

 

This silence is insulting to the American people, and given the Nov. 6 election results it is unsustainable. [. . .]

The American people need an Interior Department focused on addressing climate change, enhancing public recreation, protecting endangered species and upholding the sovereign rights of Native American communities. These are not matters of personal preference – they are enshrined in law and supported by voters. The department needs someone accountable at the helm who believes in this mission.

Mr. Zinke is not that person. Federal agencies cannot function without credible leadership, and he offers none. He needs to resign.

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