Conway Won’t Say If She’ll Face Hatch Act Punishment, Implies She’ll Keep Job

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, stands by as reporters speak to attendees of the event combatting drug demand and the opioid crisis, outside the West Wing of the White House, on Thursday October 26th, 2017. (Photo by Cheriss May/NurPhoto)
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, stands by as reporters speak to attendees of the event combatting drug demand and the opioid crisis, outside the West Wing of the White House, on Thursday October 26th, 2017. (... White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, stands by as reporters speak to attendees of the event combatting drug demand and the opioid crisis, outside the West Wing of the White House, on Thursday October 26th, 2017. (Photo by Cheriss May/NurPhoto via Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway on Thursday refused to answer questions about the consequences, if any, she would face for violating the Hatch Act by using her government office in a political capacity.

But she said her discretion could be the reason “why I’m still there [in the Trump administration] and will continue to be — I’m not there to read about myself.”

The Office of Special Counsel, a permanent investigative and oversight agency, announced Tuesday that Conway had twice violated the Hatch Act in interviews about the special election to fill Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ Senate seat in Alabama. In the television appearances, she advocated for then-Republican candidate Roy Moore and against then-Democratic candidate Doug Jones, improperly using her office to engage in political activity, the office said. 

In an interview with Conway Thursday, which was flagged by Politico, Fox News’ Bill Hemmer asked whether she would face any consequences for the violations, a decision ultimately up to President Donald Trump.

“The President and I have spoken about this,” Conway replied. “I have not made a comment on this at all and I won’t today.”

She noted that the White House had already responded to the Office of Special Counsel — press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that Conway “simply expressed the President’s obvious position specific to policy, that he have people in the House and Senate who would support his agenda” — but refused to offer further detail.

I won’t reveal my private conversations with the President about anything except that which he would like me to speak about publicly, including steel and aluminum,” she said, asked what the President wanted to happen next.

“So no punishment given?” Hemmer probed.

I didn’t say that,” Conway responded. “I just said that we’ve spoken about this, but I also recognize every single day — maybe that’s why I’m still there and will continue to be — I’m not there to read about myself.”

Conway was previously “counseled,” according to then White House press secretary Sean Spicer, after she endorsed Ivanka Trump’s products from the White House briefing room.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Using her government office in a political capacity seems rather quaint, compared to the many ways others at the WH and federal agencies are using their government positions.

  2. Punishment? hahahahahaha. Somebody’s been smoking crack. Nobody in Trumpland gets ‘punished’ unless it’s the Big Cheeto doling out the humiliation.

  3. Abusing the power of your office to benefit an American politician, rather than a Russian or a Qatari. Quaint, indeed!

  4. Conway:
    “Yes I violated ethics and written rules. I don’t care.”
    Reporter:
    “We will continue to interview you for years to come. Our consequence-free platform welcomes you.”
    Conway
    “Be seein’ ya.”

  5. Avatar for ghost ghost says:

    Since the person who decides on punishment for Hatch Act violations is the employee’s department head, i.e. Donny himself, I don’t think she’s too worried about it.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

23 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for secular_humanist Avatar for ghost Avatar for mondfledermaus Avatar for sysprog Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for clunkertruck Avatar for asanders91360 Avatar for irasdad Avatar for bluinmaine Avatar for christianhankel Avatar for sickneffintired Avatar for pmm080 Avatar for benthere Avatar for maricaibo Avatar for rickjones Avatar for jacksonhts Avatar for not_so_fluffy Avatar for dannydorko Avatar for erik_t Avatar for rascal_crone Avatar for x_salem_x

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: