Ryan Zinke is leaving the Trump administration to work for the investment firm Artillery One as its managing director, The Hill reports.
Zinke announced he would leave the Trump administration at the end of 2018, after months of scrutiny by the media and federal investigators. (RELATED: Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke Says Farewell)
“Secretary Zinke brings a wealth of experience and understanding of the workings of business and government,” Artillery One CEO Daniel Cannon said in a statement, according to The Hill. “His expertise in the energy and technology sectors will help Artillery One to continue to expand its consulting and finance business in the core areas of cybersecurity, energy, fintech and digital assets. We look forward to introducing him to our strategic partners and clients around the globe.”
Critics have accused the former Trump official of numerous ethics violations, though no report to date has revealed any significant misconduct. The Interior Department’s Office of Inspector General has reportedly referred one probe to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for a possible criminal investigation. Zinke has called the allegations and investigations “politically motivated.”
U.S. President Donald Trump walks past Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke as he stands to address the 17th annual September 11 observance at the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, U.S., September 11, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Cannon, as Zinke’s new boss, is not worried about the outcome of any probe still underway into the former Interior secretary’s actions.
“We are not concerned with these investigations as they do not involve [Artillery One],” Cannon told Think Progress in an email. “We will let the DOJ do its job and act accordingly.”
Under President Donald Trump’s ethics pledge signed by administration officials, Zinke is prohibited from lobbying on Interior Department issues for five years. He is also prohibited from lobbying Trump administration officials for the rest Trump’s presidency.
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