Trump's White House, which critics deride as the "White House of Horrors" because of its high staff turnover and maddening tension, claimed its latest victim with the ousting of scandal-ridden Ryan Zinke, former Secretary of the Interior.
Zinke is now among the more than two dozen senior White House staffers or department heads who were either fired by Trump or resigned their posts since Trump became president in January 2017. Political pundits say this abnormally high attrition rate is the highest over the past five presidencies.
Zinke was forced to resign to escape inevitable legislative investigations in January when Democrats take over the U.S. House of Representatives. Zinke has been under relentless criticism for a plethora of ethical lapses as Interior Secretary. He was the subject of 15 separate investigations.
These transgressions include expensive flights; his real estate holdings in Montana and his questionable ethical actions in office. Zinke also had his department spend nearly $139,000 to upgrade three sets of double doors in his office.
He was also chastised over costly U.S. Park Police helicopter flights in 2017 that allowed him to return to Washington for a horseback ride with Vice President Mike Pence.
His ethical lapses were investigated by the Interior Department's Office of Inspector General, and were the subject of a PBS News Hour report in October. In October, the department's investigation into Zinke's conduct was referred to the Department of Justice by Interior's Inspector General.
Trump announced Zinke's firing and said the former Montana congressman will leave his post on Dec. 31. Zinke's resignation, however, won't change the concerted environmental deregulation that took place during his tenure at the Interior Department.
Zinke tied his firing by Trump to alleged "false allegations" hurled against him.
"I cannot justify spending thousands of dollars defending myself and my family against false allegations. It is better for the President and Interior to focus on accomplishments rather than fictitious allegations," he tweeted.
Zinke's foes, especially the Democrats, were delighted at his departure.
Zinke was one of the most toxic members of Trump's cabinet in the way he treated the government like it was his personal honey pot, tweeted Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). "The swamp cabinet will be a little less foul without him."
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), incoming speaker of the House of Representatives, also slammed Zinke and his anti-environment policies.
Zinke has been a shameless handmaiden for the special interests, said Pelosi. She said Zinke's staggering ethical abuses "have delivered a serious and lasting blow to America's public lands, environment, clean air and clean water."
