Zinke Kicked Off His 2022 Congressional Campaign On The Back Of A Harley Davidson, Cruising Through Montana’s Most Picturesque Backdrops, From Glacier National Park To Billings. According to Politico, “Ryan Zinke likes to tout his fifth-generation Montana roots. On his first day as Donald Trump’s Interior secretary, in 2017, the tall, boot-clad ex-Navy Seal famously galloped to work on horseback in blue jeans and a black cowboy hat. This past June, when Zinke kicked off a new congressional campaign, he cruised on the back of a Harley Davidson through some of the state’s most picturesque backdrops, from Glacier National Park to Billings, Montana’s largest city. His wife, Lolita, documented the tour on Instagram with the hashtag #Montanalife.” [Politico, 10/8/21]
Zinke’s Wife Designated Santa Barbara, California Residence As Her Primary Residence In Tax Records. According to POLITICO, “Ryan Zinke, the former Trump Interior secretary now running for Congress again in Montana, has long faced questions about whether he lives in the state or in California. Now, new tax records uncovered by POLITICO show that Zinke’s wife has designated the home she inherited years ago from her parents in Santa Barbara as her primary residence, as he wages a comeback campaign a thousand-plus miles north and east. When Zinke filed his candidacy papers with the Federal Election Commission, he listed his family house in Whitefish, Montana, as his place of residence. But he and his wife have used Lola Zinke’s home in Santa Barbara as a mailing address for fundraising invitations, Lola’s own campaign contributions and a business contract his consulting firm filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.” [POLITICO, 5/13/22]
Zinke’s Wife Designated California As Primary Residence, A Revelation That Boosted Suspicions That Zinke Spent Most Of His Time Outside Of California. According to CBS, “His wife's residence declaration boosted long-standing suspicions that Zinke spends most of his time outside Montana. Zinke doesn't deny that his wife is a California resident, and he acknowledges holding fundraisers there. He raised a total of $2.5 million through the end of March, almost as much as all other candidates from both parties combined, about 80% from out-of-state donors.” [CBS, 6/9/22]
Zinke’s Campaign Said He Lived In Whitefish, Montana And That His Wife Was The Sole Owner Of Her Parent’s Property In California. According to CNN, “He has also faced questions about whether he lives in Montana after Politico reported last month that his wife had claimed a home in Santa Barbara, California, as her primary residence on tax records and other forms. Zinke’s campaign responded to the report by saying he lives in Whitefish, Montana, and that his wife had inherited and kept her parents’ former home in California, of which she is the sole owner.” [CNN, 6/9/22]
From Late 2018 Until Spring Of This Year, When Zinke’s Campaign Launched, Lolita Zinke’s Instagram Feed Has Featured Considerably More Photos Of Her And Her Husband In Santa Barbara Than In Montana, Including The Couple Quarantining There In The Early Days Of The Pandemic. According to Politico, “From late 2018 until spring of this year, when Zinke’s campaign launched, Lolita Zinke’s Instagram feed has featured considerably more photos of her and her husband in Santa Barbara than in Montana. Perhaps more telling is when the photos were posted: Her account documents the Zinkes spending holidays in Santa Barbara and quarantining there during the early days of the pandemic. They appear in Montana mostly during the summer months.” [Politico, 10/8/21]
Lolita Zinke’s Photos On Instagram Showed That In Recent Years She And Her Family Have Bought Christmas Trees, Celebrated Easter, Worked On Backyard Renovations And Gone Horseback Riding In And Around The Beachside Enclave Of Santa Barbara. According to Politico, “Lolita Zinke’s photos on Instagram show that in recent years she and her family have bought Christmas trees, celebrated Easter, worked on backyard renovations and gone horseback riding in and around the beachside enclave of Santa Barbara, which is two hours north of Los Angeles and home to celebrities including Ellen DeGeneres and Meghan Markle.” [Politico, 10/8/21]
Zinke’s Employer, Artillery One, Stated In A News Release That “While Zinke Will Be Based In Montana And California, His Work Activities Are Expected To Include Extensive Travel Overseas In Europe And Elsewhere.” According to Daily Beast, “’While Zinke will be based in Montana and California,’ Artillery One’s news release said, ‘his work activities are expected to include extensive travel overseas in Europe and elsewhere.’” [Daily Beast, 1/16/19]
The Zinkes Also Appeared To Have Quarantined Together In Santa Barbara, With Lolita Posting A Photo Of A Shirtless Zinke On Memorial Day 2020, Alongside A Caption Referring To Him As “My Quarenteammate.” According to Politico, “The Zinkes also appear to have quarantined together in Santa Barbara, with Lolita posting a photo of a shirtless Zinke on Memorial Day 2020, alongside a caption referring to him as ‘my quarenteammate’ and the hashtags #godblessamerica #workoutmotivation and, puzzlingly, #bengazi. (The Instagram account is private, but Lolita accepted my request to follow her from an account where I identify myself as a journalist.)” [Politico, 10/8/21]
July 2021 Federal Election Commission Data Showed That He Received About $181,000 In Campaign Donations Largely From Non-Montanans. According to Politico, “The most recently available FEC data shows Zinke has received campaign donations — about $181,000, as of July — largely from non-Montanans, as well.” [Politico, 10/8/21]
Jennifer Fielder, A Republican Former State Senator Who Supported Zinke’s Gop Primary Challenger Stated That She Thought It Was “Pretty Obvious When You Show Up In March With A Really Killer Tan That You Haven’t Been Here For A Long Time.” According to Politico, “Zinke’s political opponents are clearly trying to emphasize the point — ‘I think it’s pretty obvious when you show up in March with a really killer tan that you haven’t been here for a long time,’ said Jennifer Fielder, a Republican former state senator who supports Zinke’s GOP primary challenger” [Politico, 10/8/21]
Fielder: “I Don’t Think Ryan Has Been A True Montanan For A Very Long Time.” According to Politico, “‘I don’t think Ryan has been a true Montanan for a very long time,’ said Fielder, now a member of the Montana Public Service Commission, a state regulatory agency.” [Politico, 10/8/21]
Zinke Has Drawn Criticism For His Resident Status In Montana. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, “Zinke, a former board member and a current stock owner of a Santa Barbara-based oil company QS Energy (formerly known as Save the World Air), has also been involved in a kerfuffle over whether he’s actually a resident of Montana. The Whitefish address he lists as his residence on FEC forms was approved for use as a bed and breakfast, according to a Montana blog, and neither he nor his wife own property in their names in the state — although Zinke’s company, Continental Divide International, does. And his wife has identified herself as a Californian, which is in fact where she’s from and where she still spends significant time.” [Center for Responsive Politics, 12/14/16]