Zinke attacks reporting on helicopter rides

Source: Politico



By BEN LEFEBVRE 12/09/2017 10:18 PM EST

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Saturday attacked POLITICO's coverage of his use of $14,000 in taxpayer-funded helicopter rides in the D.C. area — but offered no facts that contradicted the story that ran Thursday.

“Here are the #facts the DC media refuses to print,” Zinke said in a statement on his official Twitter account. “Recent articles about official Interior Department helicopter usage are total fabrications and a wild departure from reality."

His statement went on to note — as POLITICO's story had said — that the trips in question had included a visit to an emergency management exercise in West Virginia and a flyover of a power line project in Virginia.

Zinke also defended a separate helicopter flight last summer over two national monuments in Nevada. POLITICO had reported in September on that flight, which Interior Department documents said cost at least $40,000.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/09/ryan-zinke-helicopters-statement-217113

Link to tweet