Ethics officer: Investigate Conway
Touting clothes looks like violation, he says
WASHINGTON — The director of the Office of Government Ethics said there is “strong reason to believe” that senior adviser Kellyanne Conway violated federal rules by endorsing Ivanka Trump’s clothing line, urging the White House to investigate the matter and consider disciplining her.
In a Feb. 13 letter to White House Deputy Counsel Stefan Passantino, OGE Director Walter Shaub, wrote that Conway’s comments appeared to be “a clear violation” of federal ethics rules that bar federal employees from using their public office to endorse a product.
“Under the present circumstances, there is strong reason to believe that Ms. Conway has violated the Standards of Conduct and that disciplinary action is warranted,” he wrote.
Shaub added that the ethics agency has not been notified whether the White House has disciplined Conway, even though press secretary Sean Spicer said she was “counseled” after she promoted Ivanka Trump’s brand on Fox News.
White House officials did not respond to requests for comment. Conway declined to comment.
House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, who last week called Conway’s comments, “absolutely wrong, wrong, wrong” and asked OGE to recommend disciplinary action, called on President Trump to follow the agency’s advice.
“I appreciate the quick response from OGE and hope the White House heeds their recommendation,” he said in a statement.
That was echoed by Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Md., the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, who on Tuesday called Conway’s remarks “a textbook violation of federal ethics rules.”
The ethics agency does not have investigative powers or enforcement authority. But the letter from Shaub steps up the pressure on the White House Counsel’s Office to disclose whether it took any action in response to Conway’s remarks. Shaub asked Passantino for a response by Feb. 28.
The episode began when Conway appeared on “Fox & Friends” Feb. 9 and addressed efforts by activists to get retailers such as Nordstrom to stop carrying Ivanka Trump items. In response, she touted the clothing, shoes and accessories marketed under the Ivanka Trump brand.
“I’m going to give a free commercial here,” she added. “Go buy it today, everybody. You can find it online.”