Senator Murray Statement on Secretary Ryan Zinke’s Resignation from the U.S. Department of the Interior

(Washington, D.C.)  – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement:

“Despite his pledges to be a Theodore Roosevelt-like leader on conservation, Mr. Zinke’s tenure at Interior proves he was anything but. From rolling back protections for our treasured U.S. monuments, to advancing a foreign mining project in Washington state, Mr. Zinke clearly never had the best interests of our environment or future generations in mind. Instead, his legacy at Interior will be known for scandal after scandal, and selling out to special interests. I’m glad Mr. Zinke is leaving this important post and now I hope President Trump bows to public pressure and nominates someone who will actually put people and the environment first, ahead of the corporations and special interests that view our public lands and natural resources not as something to be preserved, but solely to be used for profit.”