Zinke, House GOP face criticism over Patagonia attacks

WASHINGTON – Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and House Republicans are escalating their feud with an outdoor retail company that opposes the Trump administration’s plan to shrink two sprawling Utah national monuments.

The House Natural Resources Committee said in a tweet that clothing giant Patagonia is “lying” about Trump’s plan in order “to sell more products to wealthy elitist urban dwellers from New York to San Francisco.”

The tweet comes after Patagonia replaced its usual home page with a black screen and stark message: “The President Stole Your Land.” Patagonia filed suit last week to block the planned reduction to Bears Ears National Monument.

Zinke retweeted the Resources committee post on his official account.

Former government ethics chief Walter Shaub tweeted that Zinke “misused his official position by retweeting this wildly inappropriate tweet.”