WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday is expected to confirm David Bernhardt, a former lobbyist for the oil and agribusiness industries, as secretary of interior. The vote coincides with over a dozen calls from Democrats, government watchdogs and others for formal investigations into Mr. Bernhardt’s past conduct. Mr. Bernhardt served as the deputy to Mr. Trump’s first interior secretary, Ryan Zinke, and has drawn a cascade of criticism about his on-the-job ethics. Mr. Zinke himself resigned this year amid allegations of ethical misconduct. At least eight senators, all Democrats, and four government ethics watchdog groups have requested that the Interior Department’s inspector general open formal investigations into various aspects of Mr. Bernhardt’s conduct.

Source: New York Times April 11, 2019 17:03 UTC