Departing Trump official Zinke facing possible federal criminal charges for lying to inspector general: report

According to a report from the Washington Post, outgoing Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is not leaving his legal problems behind and could be facing federal charges of lying to his department's inspector general.

The report states that three sources have confirmed that Zinke -- the subject of multiple investigations that have hastened his departure -- is now facing scrutiny from the Justice Department’s public integrity section.

The WaPo reports, Zinke was "facing two inspector general inquiries tied to his real estate dealings in his home state of Montana and his involvement in reviewing a proposed casino project by Native American tribes in Connecticut. In the course of that work, inspector general investigators came to believe Zinke had lied to them, and they referred the matter to the Justice Department to consider whether any laws were violated."

According to a spokesperson for Zinke, the former Trump administration official “to the best of his knowledge answered all questions truthfully.”

The report goes on to state that "The Justice Department’s interest in the matter is significant, signaling prosecutors felt Zinke’s account was suspect and warranted further scrutiny."

Whether Zinke faces criminal charges has not yet been determined.