Hello, OnPolitics readers!
A Trump administration cabinet member is in trouble for ethics violations.
Former US Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke used his position to advance a development project in his hometown of Whitefish, Montana, despite his commitment to disassociate from the foundation in charge of the development upon taking office, government investigators said.
Zinke also gave incorrect and incomplete information to an Interior Department ethics official when confronted about the allegations and directed staff to assist him with the Montana project, according to a report made public Wednesday.
Interior Department investigators referred the matter to the Justice Department for further prosecution, though they declined to pursue a criminal case. Zinke, who is on the ballot for the June Republican primary for an open Montana congressional seat, called the report “a political hit job.”
It’s Chelsea with today’s top stories out of Washington.
Donald Trump, family, must testify in NY probe
A New York judge said Thursday that former President Donald Trump and his children Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump must testify in a business fraud investigation into the Trump Organization.
State Judge Arthur F. Engoron rejected Trump’s request to nullify subpoenas from the state attorney general and ordered him to turn over subpoenaed documents to Attorney General Letitia James within 14 days. Trump and his children must appear for a deposition within 21 days.
Judge Engoron wrote that a refusal to subpoena Trump “would have been blatant dereliction of duty (and would have broken an oft-repeated campaign promise).”
Both the New York attorney general’s office and the Manhattan district attorney are investigating whether the Trump Organization inflated the value of its holdings to secure loans and deflated the values to reduce taxes.
Real quick: stories you’ll want to read
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US security officials wary of Russian ‘cyberattacks’
Former KGB officer and Russian President Vladimir Putin is known for unleashing “hybrid warfare” cyberattacks against opponents. Amid the increased tension between Ukraine and Russia, US security officials worry about a “spillover effect”: Once cyber weapons are released, they can wreak havoc anywhere, including the US
“Anytime we see that cyber is involved in an attack around the world, there’s always the potential that it can spread quickly and have unintended consequences,” former top Pentagon cybersecurity official Lucian Niemeyer told USA TODAY.
In his Tuesday afternoon address, President Joe Biden said the US is prepared to respond if Russia attacks the country or its allies “through asymmetric means,” such as “disruptive cyberattacks” against critical infrastructure.
“We’re moving in lockstep with our NATO allies and partners to deepen our collective defense against threats in cyberspace,” Biden said.
Enjoy your weekend, OnPolitics readers. Are you up-to-date on the olympic medal count? — Chelsea
www.usatoday.com
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism