The Trump administration violated federal law when it diverted national parks fees to support basic park operations during the federal government shutdown that began last year and dragged on for 35 days into this year, according to a new report issued by the Government Accountability Office.
Despite pleas from park advocates to close the parks during the shutdown, the Interior Department kept these national treasures open without adequate staffing, even as trash piled up, vandals damaged park resources, and restrooms basked in malodorous filth.
The neutral government watchdog affirmed park advocates’ assessment: Interior Secretary David Bernhardt blatantly disregarded laws guiding how federal dollars are to be spent when he diverted up to $253 million to tidy up the parks as the shutdown dragged on.