Ethics slap at Kellyanne

Presidential adviser Kellyanne Conway should be disciplined for violating federal law when she used her White House position to promote a candidate in Alabama’s Senate race, the Office of Special Counsel recommended Tuesday.

In appearances on “Fox & Friends” on Nov. 20 and CNN’s “New Day” on Dec. 6, Conway violated the Hatch Act when she spoke for Republican Roy Moore and against Democrat Doug Jones, the special counsel said. Jones won the race.

“While the Hatch Act allows federal employees to express their views about candidates and political issues as private citizens, it restricts employees from using their official government positions for partisan political purposes, including by trying to influence partisan elections,” the report said.

The OSC submitted its findings to President Trump for “appropriate disciplinary action.”

But the White House defended Conway, saying she didn’t “advocate for or against” any candidate.

“She simply expressed the president’s obvious position that he have people in the House and Senate who support his agenda,” said deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley.

Rank-and-file government employees can be reprimanded, suspended, docked pay or fired for Hatch Act violations, but for presidential appointees such as Conway, the president gets to make the call on whether to impose a penalty.

During the Obama administration, Housing Secretary Julian Castro was cited for commenting on Hillary Clinton’s campaign.