GOP Rep. Ryan Zinke's campaign spent cash on fine dining, luxury stays

Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke’s campaign has spent large amounts of donor cash on lavish trips and meals. Zinke was scrutinized for similar spending habits in his previous role as Secretary of the Interior under former President Donald Trump.

Zinke has represented Montana’s 1st congressional district since January 2023. He previously represented the district from 2015 to 2017. He was Secretary of the Interior from 2017 to 2019.

According to campaign finance disclosures, Zinke’s campaign spent nearly $80,000 on gourmet meals, luxury hotel stays, and private transportation in 2023 and 2024. While campaign finance law permits the use of campaign funds for meals, events, and travel, it also requires that these expenses be reasonable and necessary.

Between February and December 2023, Zinke’s campaign spent more than $16,000 at the Capitol Hill Club, a private restaurant and social space for Republicans in Washington D.C. In this same period, nearly $9,000 was spent in the U.S. Senate cafeteria. All of these expenses were coded as meeting and catering costs. 

In July 2023, Zinke’s campaign spent $1,237 at Duck and Peach, another trendy D.C. eatery. That same month, the campaign spent more than $6,500 at The Lark, a boutique hotel and event space in downtown Bozeman, MT. 

Many of the campaign’s expenses were outside of Washington D.C. and Montana. In June 2023, Zinke’s campaign spent $1,500 at the Samuel Adams Brewhouse in the Atlanta, GA airport. A few months later, the campaign spent $610 at another Samuel Adams Brewhouse in Boston, MA.

On January 17 and 26 of this year, the campaign spent more than $600 at a cheese shop in Santa Barbara, CA. The shop also sells imported wines. 

Zinke’s campaign has also paid for luxury hotels that it labeled as routine travel expenses. In February 2024, the campaign paid for a room at the Four Seasons in Surfside, FL. That same month, $423 was spent at the five star St. Regis Hotel in New York City.

During the New York trip, Zinke’s campaign spent $200 in “meeting expenses” at Lavo, a now-closed upscale nightclub with bottle service.

In November and December 2023, Zinke’s campaign spent over $1,400 on “event transportation” in Spring, TX. While the campaign provided an address for these expenses, it did not include a business name. The given address corresponds to Dr. Detail Ceramic Coatings, a company that specializes in custom detailing for cars, motorcycles, and boats.

Zinke owns a motorcycle and a boat.

Zinke has a history of using work funds for lavish purchases. In June 2017, when Zinke was serving as Secretary of the Interior, his office spent $12,000 of taxpayer money on a private jet from Las Vegas, NV to Glacier Park, MT. Two months later, his office paid $25,000 for a security detail to accompany him on a mediterranean vacation.

In November 2017, Zinke’s office spent $139,000 of taxpayer money on new office doors.

Zinke is currently seeking another term in Congress. His Democratic opponent is Monica Tranel, a lawyer and former Olympic rower.

A Zinke campaign spokesperson did not respond to questions for this story.