Interior Department Watchdog Opens Ethics Probe Into 6 Agency Officials

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The Huffington Post

The Interior Department’s internal watchdog has opened a formal investigation into alleged violations of federal ethics rules by six high-ranking agency officials who maintained close ties to former employers. Delaney Marsco, a legal counsel for ethics at the Campaign Legal Center, said in an email statement Tuesday that the investigation “confirms that political appointees at the agency have been disregarding the ethical obligations of public service.”

“An agency’s ethical culture depends on ethical leadership. Former Secretary Ryan Zinke and Secretary David Bernhardt, now under investigation himself for ethics violations, have failed to demonstrate adequate ethical behavior at the top of Interior,” Marsco said. “We hope this investigation will answer whether these officials are working on behalf of the American people or on behalf of the interests that used to pay their salary.”

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