In a continued series of reports, Public Domain uncovered conflicts of interest at the U.S. Interior Department, with a focus on Karen Budd-Falen, a longtime ranching advocate who is now a top deputy to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. With support from the Fund, reporting by Jimmy Tobias and Chris D’Angelo exposed numerous scandals involving Budd-Falen, including a multi-million-dollar water rights deal her family made with a controversial mine in Nevada, as well as her participation in grazing-related policymaking that involves her past legal clients. These stories are based primarily on public records the team obtained. Their months-long probe into Budd-Falen has been widely cited in national news outlets, including The Rachel Maddow Show, The New York Times and NPR, and it has led members of Congress and national organizations to call for federal ethics investigations.
Grantee exposes conflicts of interest for top U.S. Interior official, sparking calls for federal ethics probe
