Kelly Ann Conway: Lawbreaker Or Innocent?

Kellyanne Conway, an American political consultant and pollster, has been accused of breaking the law on several occasions. One of the most notable instances occurred in February 2017, when she endorsed Ivanka Trump's products on live television. During a Fox & Friends appearance, Conway told Americans to go buy Ivanka's stuff and described her product line as wonderful. This endorsement sparked controversy as it potentially violated federal ethics laws prohibiting the use of public office for private gain or product endorsement.

Conway has also been accused of violating the Hatch Act, which forbids federal government employees from advocating their political beliefs while representing a public office. In November 2017, she was criticised for weighing in on the Alabama Senate race and attacking Republican Roy Moore's opponent, Doug Jones. Ethics chiefs and lawyers from previous administrations called for her to be fired, arguing that she had violated the Hatch Act.

Conway's tenure in the Trump administration was marked by a series of controversies, including her use of the phrase alternative facts and references to a fictitious Bowling Green massacre. Despite the accusations and calls for her removal, Conway remained a prominent figure in the administration until her departure in 2020.

Did Kellyanne Conway break the law by endorsing Ivanka Trump's products on TV?

On February 9, 2017, Kellyanne Conway, a senior presidential adviser to Donald Trump, endorsed Ivanka Trump's products on live TV. Ivanka Trump's brand had recently been dropped by Nordstrom, prompting a public outburst from Trump on Twitter. During an appearance on Fox & Friends, Conway said:

> Go buy Ivanka's stuff, is what I would tell you. It's a wonderful line. I own some of it. I'm going to give a free commercial here: Go buy it today, everybody. You can find it online.

Conway's comments sparked immediate backlash, with critics arguing that she had violated federal ethics laws prohibiting the use of public office for private gain or endorsement of any product. Larry Noble, the general counsel for the Campaign Legal Centre, a nonpartisan organisation based in Washington DC, suggested that Conway may have broken the law, specifically 5 CFR 2635.702, which addresses the "use of public office for private gain".

Walter Shaub, the former director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), filed an ethics complaint against Conway, arguing that she had violated the Hatch Act of 1939, which states that federal government employees must not advocate their political beliefs while representing a public office.

In June 2019, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) recommended that Conway be removed from federal service, citing multiple violations of the Hatch Act. However, due to her status as a presidential appointee, the OSC was unable to take any steps to implement its recommendation, and the White House rejected the finding.

Conway's endorsement of Ivanka Trump's products was not an isolated incident. She has been embroiled in several controversies during her time in the White House, including the use of the phrase "alternative facts" to describe fictitious attendance numbers for Trump's inauguration and referencing a nonexistent "Bowling Green massacre" to justify Trump's immigration ban.

Did Kellyanne Conway violate the Hatch Act?

Kellyanne Conway, an American political consultant and pollster, has been accused of violating the Hatch Act of 1939 on several occasions. The Hatch Act prohibits federal government employees from advocating their political beliefs while representing a public office.

Conway, who served as Senior Counselor to President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2020, was accused of breaching the Act by endorsing commercial products associated with the president's daughter, Ivanka Trump. In February 2017, during an appearance on Fox & Friends, Conway encouraged viewers to "go buy Ivanka's stuff," which was deemed an endorsement of a product by a federal official. This incident led to formal ethics complaints and bipartisan Congressional condemnation.

In addition to commercial promotion, Conway was also accused of violating the Hatch Act through her political commentary. In November 2017, she criticized Doug Jones, a candidate in the Alabama Senate race, which was seen as taking sides in a partisan election. This incident sparked further ethics complaints and led to a determination by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) that Conway had violated the Hatch Act in two television interviews in 2017.

Conway continued to make frequent television appearances and comment on political topics, despite warnings. In June 2019, the OSC formally recommended that Conway be removed from federal service, citing multiple and ongoing Hatch Act violations. They noted her criticism of Democratic presidential candidates, which included Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, and Joe Biden, among others. The OSC described her misconduct as "eroding the principal foundation of our democratic system—the rule of law."

Conway's actions sparked widespread debate, with some calling for her removal from office, while others, including President Trump, defended her conduct and rejected the OSC's findings. Despite the controversy, Conway remained a prominent figure in the Trump administration and continued to make media appearances.

Did Kellyanne Conway break the law by influencing the Roy Moore vote?

On November 29, 2017, Kellyanne Conway, an American political consultant and pollster, was accused of breaking federal law by trying to influence Roy Moore's vote. Conway, who was serving as Senior Counselor to the President in the administration of Donald Trump, attacked Moore's opponent, Doug Jones, on television. Jones was running against Moore for the Alabama Senate seat.

Conway's comments were deemed to be in violation of the Hatch Act of 1939, which prohibits federal government employees from advocating their political beliefs while representing a public office. Specifically, the Act prevents White House officials from endorsing or rallying against candidates, even in media interviews.

Walter Shaub, the former director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), filed an ethics complaint against Conway, arguing that she violated the Hatch Act by criticising Jones. On March 6, 2018, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) issued a final report determining that Conway had indeed violated the Hatch Act in two television interviews in November and December 2017.

Conway's actions sparked controversy and led to calls for her removal from federal service. However, the White House rejected the OSC's finding and demanded that it be withdrawn. Despite the accusations and ethics complaints, Conway continued to make frequent television appearances and provide political commentary.

Did Kellyanne Conway break the law by leaking negative stories about Sean Spicer?

Kellyanne Conway was accused of leaking negative stories about Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, to the press. However, it is unclear whether she broke the law by doing so.

Conway, who served as counsellor to President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2020, was a controversial figure during her time in the White House. She was known for her spin and frequent television appearances, during which she defended the Trump administration. One of her most infamous moments came when she used the phrase "alternative facts" to describe fictitious and disproven attendance numbers for Trump's inauguration.

In February 2017, Conway claimed that former national security advisor Michael Flynn had the president's "full confidence". Just hours later, Flynn resigned. The following day, Conway claimed Flynn had offered to resign, but Spicer contradicted her, saying Trump had asked for Flynn's resignation. It was then reported that Conway had allegedly leaked negative stories about Spicer to the press.

Conway faced widespread criticism for her inaccurate comments about Flynn. Some commentators, such as Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post, called for her to be banned from future television appearances. Morning Joe, an MSNBC news show, officially banned her from future appearances, with host Joe Scarborough citing her lack of insider knowledge and credibility as reasons for the decision.

While Conway's leaking of negative stories about Spicer caused a stir, there does not appear to be any indication that she broke the law by doing so. However, she was accused of breaking federal law on other occasions during her time in the Trump administration. Notably, in February 2017, she promoted Ivanka Trump's product line during a TV interview, which was deemed an illegal use of public office for private gain. She was also accused of violating the Hatch Act by using her position to take sides in a partisan election.

Did Kellyanne Conway break the law by sitting on an Oval Office couch?

Kellyanne Conway, an American political consultant and pollster, served as Senior Counselor to President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2020. She was the first woman to run a successful US presidential campaign. Conway was involved in several controversies during her tenure, including the use of the phrase "alternative facts" to describe fictitious attendance numbers for Trump's inauguration and her reference to a non-existent "Bowling Green massacre" to justify Trump's immigration ban.

One particular incident that sparked criticism was when Conway was photographed sitting on an Oval Office couch with her legs folded beneath her and her shoes pressed against the upholstery during a meeting between Trump and leaders from historically black colleges and universities. Some observers deemed her sitting position disrespectful and inappropriate for the setting, with body language expert Patti Wood characterising it as "rather sexual" and suggestive of a close relationship with Trump. Conway later addressed the controversy, stating that she meant no disrespect and had been asked to take photographs of the meeting from a certain angle.

While the couch incident sparked criticism, it does not appear that Conway broke the law with her sitting position. However, she has been accused of breaking the law on other occasions, notably by endorsing Ivanka Trump's products during a TV interview in February 2017. While speaking on Fox & Friends, Conway encouraged viewers to "go buy Ivanka's stuff" and praised her as a "very successful businesswoman". This incident led to accusations of violating federal ethics laws and the Hatch Act, which prohibits public officials from using their positions to endorse products or for private gain.

In addition to the product endorsement controversy, Conway has also been accused of violating the Hatch Act by using her position to influence the Alabama Senate race in 2017. Ethics chiefs and lawyers from previous administrations called for her to be fired, arguing that she had violated the law by taking sides in a partisan election.

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