Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is becoming more sensitive to federal ethics rules governing campaign endorsements, tweeting a corrected photo of his new President Trump-themed socks with the campaign slogan blacked out.
“Earlier I tweeted a pic of my new socks not realizing it had what could be viewed as a political slogan,” Zinke tweeted on Tuesday, alluding to the Hatch Act, which bars Cabinet-level officials from political activity.
“I’ve deleted it and apologize for the mistake,” Zinke continued. “I remain excited about all the incredible policy work POTUS is doing.”
The socks had a cartoon version of Trump with a slogan underneath, which in Zinke’s corrected tweet was redacted in black.
Earlier I tweeted a pic of my new socks not realizing it had what could be viewed as a political slogan. I’ve deleted it and apologize for the mistake. I remain excited about all the incredible policy work POTUS is doing. ?? pic.twitter.com/xE5TMJlmAs
— Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke) June 26, 2018
The Office of Special Counsel earlier this month cleared Zinke of violating the Hatch Act. The government watchdog said it found “no evidence or allegation” that the secretary “gave a political speech or otherwise engaged in political activity during this event” with the Las Vegas Golden Knights hockey team in June 2017.
More recently, Zinke has come under scrutiny over reports that he is cooperating in a real estate venture in his hometown of Whitefish, Mont., which includes the chairman of the large oil services firm Halliburton.
It is an allegation that the Interior Department insists is false, saying Zinke resigned from a foundation he founded that is currently involved in the land project that includes Halliburton Chairman David Lesar. The Interior Department sent shared documents with the Washington Examiner last week that showed his resignation after becoming appointed secretary in March of last year. His wife, Lola, currently heads the foundation.
Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, sent a letter to Interior Department’s inspector general to investigate documents that House Democrats obtained, which showed meetings between Lesar and Zinke at Interior Department headquarters after he became secretary.
