Ethics Office Calls Kellyanne Conway’s Plug of Ivanka Trump’s Merch ‘Clear Violation’

The Office of Government Ethics is calling on the White House to discipline Conway.

Donald Trump Kellyanne Conway
Getty Images

The U.S. Office of Government Ethics says that Donald Trump’s senior adviser Kellyanne Conway committed a “clear violation” last week when she promoted Ivanka Trump’s clothing line on Fox News, according to an official letter published Tuesday.

The letter, which was posted on Twitter by Democrats on the House oversight committee, was written by OGE Director Walter Shaub called on the Trump administration to investigate Conway and to “consider taking disciplinary action against her.”

On an appearance on “Fox & Friends” last Thursday, Conway praised Ivanka’s business acumen and urged viewers to “go buy Ivanka’s stuff” a day after the president attacked Nordstrom on Twitter for dropping his daughter’s clothing line. Conway was quickly criticized by ethics watchdogs for violating rules forbidding public officials from misusing their office for private gain.

“This is jaw-dropping to me,” former OGE acting director Don Fox told The Washington Post. This rule has been promulgated by the federal Office of Government Ethics as part of the Standards of Conduct for all executive branch employees and it applies to all members of the armed forces as well.”

The incident also made Conway a target for late night comedy, as Melissa McCarthy included a sales pitch for Ivanka’s jewelry in her parody of Sean Spicer during this week’s “Saturday Night Live” cold open. Seth Meyers also took a shot at Conway, joking that “the only network Kellyanne Conway should be allowed on is QVC.”

Comments