A government watchdog will investigate whether Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke violated anti-lobbying laws for allegedly threatening repercussions against Alaska after GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski voted against a Republican plan to partially repeal Obamacare.
The investigation from the Government Accountability Office is a response to a request sent by Reps. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., and Frank Pallone, D-N.J., to look into conversations the secretary had with Murkowski, a Republican, and Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska.
The Alaska Dispatch News reported that during a phone call, Zinke alluded to the fact that Murkowski’s vote could have an impact on economic development work in the state. Sullivan said the call had a “troubling message.”
“I’m not going to go into the details, but I fear that the strong economic growth, pro-energy, pro-mining, pro-jobs and personnel from Alaska who are part of those policies are going to stop,” Sullivan said.
The Interior Department’s inspector general launched a similar probe into the allegations at the end of August, calling them “unproductive.”
Zinke has called the reports about his phone call with Murkowski and Sullivan “laughable.”
“I talk to Sen. Murkowski and Sen. Sullivan all the time,” Zinke told reporters. “A lot’s been said about a lot of things. But I talk to them all the time. We get along well.”
Asked if he had threatened the Alaskans, Zinke replied: “The moon has been characterized as a threat, too, so I think it’s laughable.”
Murkowski remained opposed to GOP proposals to repeal and replace portions of Obamacare, voting against beginning debate on the legislation. The healthcare bill that would have narrowly repealed portions of Obamacare, known as “skinny repeal,” was voted down by all Democrats and by Murkowski and other GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and John McCain of Arizona. The bill was defeated 49-51.
