Zinke spokesperson denies report that he sought Fox News job

A spokeswoman for Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Thursday denied a report that the Cabinet official had contacted Fox News about getting work at the right-leaning network after he leaves the Trump administration.

The Interior Department spokeswoman pushed back after Politico reported Thursday, citing sources familiar with Zinke’s actions, that he had reached out to become a contributor at the cable channel, where he has appeared often as a guest.

{mosads}Zinke’s spokeswoman Heather Swift called the report “dumb” and denied that he reached out to Fox for a job.

“Is this The Onion,” Swift asked. “This is laughably false.”

Fox said it is not in discussions about bringing Zinke on as a contributor.

“No one at Fox News has spoken to Zinke about a contributor role,” a network spokeswoman said.

One source told Politico that such a position for Zinke would be unlikely unless President Trump reached out to Rupert Murdoch, the CEO of Fox parent company 21st Century Fox Inc.

The networks’ on-air personalities are often friendly to the Trump administration, with a pair of hosts appearing with the president at a campaign rally earlier this week.

Zinke, a former Navy SEAL and GOP congressman from Montana, is also exploring work on the boards of energy companies or in private equity, Politico reported Thursday.

The report comes as Zinke faces a handful of high-stakes investigations over potential ethics breaches.

One investigation focuses on a land deal that a foundation Zinke used to lead made with a company backed by Halliburton Co. chairman David Lesar. That probe was referred recently to the Justice Department for potential prosecution.

—This story was last updated at 7:14 p.m.