President-elect Donald Trump has apparently passed over Cathy McMorris Rodgers as his pick for Interior Secretary. The Washington state congresswoman posted a vague statement on her Facebook page Tuesday afternoon.
Last week, multiple news organizations reported McMorris Rodgers as Trump’s likely pick as steward of the nation’s public lands, but by Tuesday, various reports said the six-term congresswoman had been passed over for Rep. Ryan Zinke, a single-term Republican from Montana -- and an University of Oregon alum.
On her Facebook page, McMorris Rodgers said she was “energized more than ever to continue leading in Congress.”
According to an email from McMorris Rodgers’ spokeswoman, she “had two brief meetings” with Trump but never got an offer to head the Department of Interior. The email also said last week’s media fury “appeared to be driven by the transition team.”
McMorris Rodgers has been under investigation since 2013 for misuse of funds and staff in her 2012 reelection campaign.
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