U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke speaks during a news conference near Gold Butte National Monument in Bunkerville on Saturday, July 30, 2017.
Tuesday, June 5, 2018 | 1:38 p.m.
WASHINGTON— An independent watchdog has cleared Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke of wrongdoing when he gave a speech to a National Hockey League team owned by a campaign contributor.
The Office of Special Counsel said Zinke's June 2017 speech to the Vegas Golden Knights did not violate the Hatch Act, a federal law that prohibits executive branch officials from engaging in political activities. The team's owner, Bill Foley, contributed to Zinke's congressional campaigns and to President Donald Trump's inauguration.
In a May 31 letter obtained by The Associated Press, the special counsel's office said Zinke addressed the team in his role as Interior secretary and spoke about leadership and the importance of teamwork. The letter said there's no evidence that Zinke gave a political speech or otherwise engaged in political activity.
