A former Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck lobbyist is next in line to lead the U.S. Interior Department after Ryan Zinke, the embattled secretary facing ethics investigations, leaves office by the end of the year.

Zinke's deputy at Interior, David Bernhardt, who was confirmed to the second-in-command post in July 2017, was a Brownstein Hyatt shareholder in Washington from 2009 to 2017. He formerly was chairman of the firm's natural resources practice.

Deputy Secretary David Bernhardt. Photo by Tami Heilemann, Interior

“He knows how to make that agency work, and he is why Interior is now considered 'best in class' in terms of agency performance,” Stephen Brown, a lobbyist at RBJ Strategies, told Politico. Another source speaking anonymously told Politico that Bernhardt might get the Trump nod to lead Interior permanently.

Bernhardt last year reported on a financial disclosure receiving $953,085 in partnership income from Brownstein, one of Washington's top lobbying firms. On his most recent financial disclosure, Bernhardt reported receiving $401,579 in partnership distribution and bonus for 2017.

His clients at the firm included Houston-based companies Noble Energy Inc., Targa Resources, Statoil Gulf Services and Cobalt International Energy. Bernhardt also provided legal services to New Jersey-based NRG Energy, the Westlands Water District in Fresno, California, and the natural resources company Cadiz Inc. in San Diego.

The Washington Post reported in a recent profile of Bernhardt that “he walked into the No. 2 job at Interior with so many potential conflicts of interest he has to carry a small card listing them all.”

Bernhardt, formerly Interior's solicitor general during the George W. Bush administration, told the Post that his personal views on matters are irrelevant to his position as deputy secretary. “The views that matter are the views of the president of the United States,” he said. “And, you know, obviously by joining his administration, I've embraced his vision for rural America. I'm committed to keeping the promises he's made.”

Zinke, a former Montana congressman, has faced myriad questions about ethics and policy matters. The Interior Department's inspector general is reportedly examining Zinke's role in a real estate deal connected to the chairman of the oil-services company Halliburton. President Donald Trump recently announced Zinke would leave his post by the end of the year:

Bernhardt was among the Brownstein Hyatt lobbyists to jump to posts in the Trump administration. Makan Delrahim, who lobbied for major U.S. companies and was based in the firm's Los Angeles office, is serving as the assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department's antitrust division. In Colorado, former equity shareholder Jason Dunn, who led the firm's political and regulatory law group, was confirmed as U.S. attorney in October. Christina Cobaugh, a former Brownstein Hyatt policy adviser, is the executive secretary, U.S. Trade Representative.

Earlier this year, Brownstein Hyatt hired Greg Brower, who had been serving as assistant director for congressional affairs at the FBI. Brower is a former FBI deputy general counsel and U.S. attorney for Nevada.

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