Interior denies wrongdoing involving Zinke's wife travel
Lolita Zinke
The documents  which include travel manifests and staff emails  were released Monday by left-leaning  Montana-based Western Values Project and were first reported on by Politico. They show that  Lolita Zinke  created a list of people  she  wanted to be invited to a conservative town hall forum in Santa Barbara  California in April. The Washington Post reported  Lolita Zinke  owns a home in Santa Barbara and accompanied  her  husband through the state that month.
" She 's expecting some of them to bring plus ones and also  her  list is not yet final " Ryan Zinke's special assistant  Caroline Boulton  wrote in an email. " She 's said that  she  doesn't have emails for them all since many of them have been personally told about the event  but I wanted you to have the list!"
About a month later  staffers overhauled travel plans on a trip in Alaska after they learned  Lolita Zinke  wanted to attend a dinner with the state's governor  Bill Walker  rather than return to Washington as planned.
"These emails show that the leadership at the Department of Interior treats basic ethical standards like an inconvenience " Chris Saeger  executive director of the Western Values Project  wrote in a statement Monday. "If  Secretary Zinke  is willing to be so sloppy with something as elementary as this  then god only knows how they're handling big decisions about energy and public lands behind closed doors."
The Interior Department said  Lolita Zinke  pays  her  own way when  she  accompanies  her  husband on trips  and the travel is approved by ethics officials in advance.
Interior spokeswoman Heather Swift said the department "incurred no expenses due to  Mrs. Zinke 's presence" at the meal with Walker  and she called the Western Values Project "a partisan hatchet group run by Democratic campaign staffers."
 Lolita Zinke  is the campaign chair for Montana GOP candidate Troy Downing  who is challenging Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester.  She  also volunteered on President Trump's campaign.
The Washington Post reported  she  has frequently accompanied  her  husband at official meetings  including one in April with California Gov. Jerry Brown  an outing that same month to California's Channel Islands and a congressional delegation trip to Norway  Greenland and Alaska.
Meanwhile  the Interior Department's internal watchdog said last week that  Ryan Zinke  has failed to keep complete records of  his  taxpayer-financed travel â hampering an investigation into  his  use of private charter flights for government business.
 Zinke  has brushed off news reports that  he  took at least three private flights costing taxpayers a total of $20 000 since taking office in March  saying all  his  travel is ethical and went through proper due diligence.
The documents  which include travel manifests and staff emails  were released Monday by left-leaning  Montana-based Western Values Project and were first reported on by Politico. They show that   [TGT] created a list of people   [TGT]   wanted to be invited to a conservative town hall forum in Santa Barbara  California in April. The Washington Post reported   [TGT] owns a home in Santa Barbara and accompanied   [TGT]   husband through the state that month.
"  [TGT]  's expecting some of them to bring plus ones and also   [TGT]   list is not yet final " Ryan Zinke's special assistant  Caroline Boulton  wrote in an email. "  [TGT]  's said that   [TGT]   doesn't have emails for them all since many of them have been personally told about the event  but I wanted you to have the list!"
About a month later  staffers overhauled travel plans on a trip in Alaska after they learned   [TGT] wanted to attend a dinner with the state's governor  Bill Walker  rather than return to Washington as planned.
"These emails show that the leadership at the Department of Interior treats basic ethical standards like an inconvenience " Chris Saeger  executive director of the Western Values Project  wrote in a statement Monday. "If   [TGT] is willing to be so sloppy with something as elementary as this  then god only knows how they're handling big decisions about energy and public lands behind closed doors."
The Interior Department said   [TGT] pays   [TGT]   own way when   [TGT]   accompanies   [TGT]   husband on trips  and the travel is approved by ethics officials in advance.
Interior spokeswoman Heather Swift said the department "incurred no expenses due to   [TGT]  's presence" at the meal with Walker  and  [TGT]  called the Western Values Project "a partisan hatchet group run by Democratic campaign staffers. [TGT] 
is the campaign chair for Montana GOP candidate Troy Downing  who is challenging Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester.   [TGT]   also volunteered on President Trump's campaign.
The Washington Post reported   [TGT]   has frequently accompanied   [TGT]   husband at official meetings  including one in April with California Gov. Jerry Brown  an outing that same month to California's Channel Islands and a congressional delegation trip to Norway  Greenland and Alaska.
Meanwhile  the Interior Department's internal watchdog said last week that  Ryan Zinke  has failed to keep complete records of  his  taxpayer-financed travel â hampering an investigation into  his  use of private charter flights for government business.
 Zinke  has brushed off news reports that  he  took at least three private flights costing taxpayers a total of $20 000 since taking office in March  saying all  his  travel is ethical and went through proper due diligence.