Zinke tweet sharing Trump socks may have violated federal ethics law

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has apologized and deleted a tweet that may have broken federal ethics laws prohibiting government officials from engaging in political activity.

The tweet showed Zinke wearing a pair of socks with President Trump’s face on them Tuesday while attending a meeting of the Western Governors Association at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, according to Reuters. The socks also had the Trump campaign’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan on them.

{mosads}“Breaking in new socks on a hike with the governors today,” the official @SecretaryZinke Twitter account said in a now-deleted tweet.

.@SecretaryZinke deleted this tweet, a clear violation of the Hatch Act. pic.twitter.com/qILMnXSDOg

— Accountability (@Accountable_Org) June 26, 2018

Zinke apologized for the tweet, which was deleted, on his official account later on Tuesday.

“Earlier I tweeted a pic of my new socks not realizing it had what could be viewed as a political slogan. I’ve deleted it and apologize for the mistake. I remain excited about all the incredible policy work POTUS is doing,” the tweet said, with the campaign slogan blacked out in the photo.

The Campaign for Accountability, a nonpartisan public accountability group, filed a complaint on Wednesday with the U.S. Office of the Special Counsel calling for an investigation and claiming Zinke’s tweet violated the Hatch Act, which prohibits political activity by government officials on the job. 

“Secretary Zinke continues to play fast and loose with federal ethics laws,” Executive Director Daniel Stevens said in a statement. “The Secretary of the Interior should know better than to promote a campaign slogan while touring a national park. The Office of Special Counsel should investigate Secretary Zinke’s conduct and sanction him for violating the Hatch Act.”

The watchdog also shared a March 2018 memo from the Office of Special Counsel, an independent investigative office that has oversight on the Hatch Act and is separate from the Russia probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller, stating that Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan or nonofficial pictures of Trump may not be displayed or worn.

pic.twitter.com/InSj4l2rIL

— Accountability (@Accountable_Org) June 26, 2018

Another member of Trump’s administration was found to have been in violation of the Hatch Act earlier this year.

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway violated the Hatch Act on two separate occasions by endorsing and advocating political candidates while appearing in her official capacity.