Inspector General opens ethics probe into Interior Secretary David Bernhardt
Ledyard KingWASHINGTON – The Interior Department's Inspector General has opened an ethics investigation into Secretary David Bernhardt.
The probe, revealed in a letter Monday from Deputy Inspect General Mary Kendall, came at the request of several Democratic lawmakers concerned the former oil and gas lobbyist, who also represented large water utilities, might have had conflicts of interests involving former clients while he was deputy secretary in 2017 and 2018.
The Inspector General's office received seven complaints from "a wide assortment of complainants alleging various conflicts of interest and other violations by (Bernhardt)," Kendall wrote in her letter to Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn.
Both serve on committees with oversight responsibilities over Interior.
"We are continuing to gather pertinent information about the complaints and have opened an investigation to address them," Kendall wrote. "We will conduct our review as expeditiously and thoroughly as practicable."
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Bernhardt, who was confirmed by the Senate last week, succeeded Ryan Zinke, who left in December under an ethical cloud.
Faith Vander Voort, a spokeswoman for Bernhardt, said many of these issues have been looked at previously with no violations found.
"It is important to note that the Department Ethics Office has already conducted a review of many of these accusations at Mr. Bernhardt’s request and determined that Secretary Bernhardt is in complete compliance with his ethics agreement and all applicable laws, rules, and regulations," she said in a comment emailed to USA TODAY.
Vander Voort also cited reforms Mr. Bernhardt has implemented to "create an ethical culture" at the department, including hiring more ethics officers, elevating the stature of such employees and communicating the importance of proper conduct to agency workers.
Kendall's letter does not detail any of the specific issues her office planned to investigate. But other Democratic lawmakers and environmental groups, many who oppose the Trump administration's policy on expanding oil and gas drilling offshore and on public lands, also have been calling for similar probes.
The Washington-based Campaign Legal Center reported receiving a similar letter from Kendall Monday.
Related:Trump nominates former oil and agriculture lobbyist David Bernhardt as new Interior secretary
Bernhardt said in a 2017 ethics recusal letter sent to the Interior Department when he was named as deputy secretary that he would not participate "personally and substantially" in matters involving former employers or clients that come before the department for a certain period of time.
A Nov. 18 profile in The Washington Post mentioned the index card Bernhardt carries around with him listing the names of 22 former clients still covered by his ethics recusal.
The Interior Department is a sprawling agency with some 70,000 employees that manages the country’s natural resources on land and offshore, and oversees federal lands that collectively make up a fifth of the country.
National parks, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs all fall under the secretary's purview.