Three high-ranking Interior officials from three different divisions said that Zinke has made several comments with a similar theme, saying "diversity isn't important," or "I don't care about diversity," or "I don't really think that's important anymore." Interior last year unexpectedly reassigned 33 senior executive staffers, of which 15 were minorities, according to the lawyer of one of the staffers who was moved. Interior Department spokeswoman Heather Swift vehemently denied that Zinke said anything along those lines of criticizing the need for diversity, saying, "the anonymous claims made against the secretary are untrue." Clement's attorney, Katie Atkinson, told CNN that she believes at least 15 of the 33 who were reassigned were minorities. Seven of the 12 divisions have no minority leaders at the senior executive staff level, according to the latest OPM data, made available in September.

Source: CNN March 26, 2018 17:37 UTC