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Politico reported today that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has benn funneling millions of dollars to questionable political action committees (PACs.) Zink. A chorus of conservatives have accused Zinke's PACs of misleading their donors. This raises the specter of campaign finance law violations.

Questionable Connections

The source of the scrutiny comes from Zinke's relationship with Scott Mckenzie. McKenzie is a D.C. political operative and runs a U.S. Virgin Island-based republican PAC and the consulting firm ForthRight Strategy. Mckenzie has earned a reputation among some Washington republicans for running "scam-PACs." These so-called scam-PACs solicit millions from conservative voters. Much of this money ends up in "operating expenses," i.e. pockets, rather than on actual campaigning.

According to Politico, there is no direct evidence that Zinke received direct payments from Mckenzie. Zinke's own PAC that he had when he was a Montana congressman did solicit from individual donors. Much of the money raised was spent on consultants. This is a departure from the norm. Karl Sandstrom, a form FEC commissioner, said that “to say the least, this is highly unusual.”

Trips on the Taxpayer Dime

He averages about one fundraiser appearance per month. Doing so is uncommon for a sitting cabinet secretary.

This is compounded by the fact that he is currently under government watchdog investigations for his taxpayer-funded trips. One them was for a ski-trip fundraiser that he attended within his first month of the job. Zinke has made other fundraising appearances when already on government sanctioned trips. The Hatch Act only allows this sort of activity if it occurs on the secretary's own time.

Scam PACs Muddy the Waters

Concerns about scam PACs have been mounting for some time. Mckenzie-connected PACs have used slogans like "Stop Hillary Clinton" in their solicitations to Republican voters. Politico identified 33 GOP leaning, small-donor PACs during 2014 elections cycle. The PACs raised $43 million in small dollar donations. Only about $3 million went to advertising. The remaining $40 million went to "operating expenses."

Zinke's relationship with Mckenzie is drawing ire from both sides due to their PAC connections. Montana Democrats have accused Zinke of allowing a "political Ponzi Scheme" to take place through his PACs.

Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) told Politico recently that ForthRight "preying on seniors in a disgusting attempt to enrich themselves." Adav Noti, a former FEC associate general counsel, said that Mckenzie has a number of scam PACS. "People are being defrauded, and that needs to stop," he told Politico.