Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) on Saturday said news that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke Ryan Keith ZinkeTrump extends Florida offshore drilling pause, expands it to Georgia, South Carolina Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention Trump flails as audience dwindles and ratings plummet MORE will depart the administration at year's end was "no kind of victory."

“This is no kind of victory, but I’m hopeful that it is a genuine turning of the page. It’s time for the Interior Dept to put the public good ahead of the fossil fuel industry, and House Democrats on the Natural Resources Committee will do just that come January,” he tweeted.

This is no kind of victory, but I’m hopeful that it is a genuine turning of the page. It’s time for the Interior Dept to put the public good ahead of the fossil fuel industry, and House Democrats on the Natural Resources Committee will do just that come January. https://t.co/WJYmDM4ybn — Raul M. Grijalva (@RepRaulGrijalva) December 15, 2018

Zinke, late last month, attacked Grijalva after the Democrat published an op-ed calling for the Interior secretary’s ouster, calling him “unfit.”

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“It’s hard for him to think straight from the bottom of the bottle,” Zinke responded. "This is coming from a man who used nearly $50,000 in tax dollars as hush money to cover up his drunken and hostile behavior," he added, referring to a $48,000 settlement Grijalva entered into with a former employee on the House Natural Resources Committee who accused him of being frequently drunk and creating a hostile work environment.

Grijalva had written that Zinke should resign, citing the Cabinet secretary’s “ethical and managerial failings.”

“While the secretary continues to project confidence, questions have grown since the election about his future plans, and the White House reportedly fears that he would be unable to withstand scrutiny on Capitol Hill,” he wrote.

Grijalva, the ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, had launched several investigations into Zinke through requests to the Interior Department's inspector general (IG). The IG referred its probe into the deal to the Department of Justice for potential prosecution of conflict of interest laws.

Zinke faced several ethics scandals, including intense scrutiny over a land deal involving a foundation he led and a company backed by David Lesar, chairman of oilfield services company Halliburton. Zinke denied any wrongdoing.

President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE announced Zinke’s departure early Saturday, saying he would leave the administration at the end of the year. He did not specify whether Zinke resigned or was fired, and said he will announce his replacement next week.