A federal watchdog agency on Thursday urged President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE to remove Kellyanne Conway Kellyanne Elizabeth ConwaySpecial counsel investigating DeVos for potential Hatch Act violation: report George and Kellyanne Conway honor Ginsburg Trump carries on with rally, unaware of Ginsburg's death MORE as White House counselor over repeated violations of the Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from engaging in elections in their official capacity.

The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) sent a 17-page report to Trump accusing Conway of breaking the law on numerous occasions “by disparaging Democratic presidential candidates while speaking in her official capacity during television interviews and on social media” and calling on the president to oust her “immediately.”

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“As a highly visible member of the administration, Ms. Conway’s violations, if left unpunished, would send a message to all federal employees that they need not abide by the Hatch Act’s restrictions,” special counsel Henry Kerner wrote to Trump. “Her actions thus erode the principal foundation of our democratic system — the rule of law.”

The White House immediately rejected the office’s recommendation that Conway be fired, saying its findings are “deeply flawed and violate her constitutional rights to free speech and due process.” Trump has no plans to follow the recommendation or discipline Conway in any way, according to an administration official.

Under the law, the decision to remove Conway is up to Trump and not the OSC.

The independent agency, which is unrelated to former special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE of the Russia investigation, has never recommended that the White House fire an employee over Hatch Act violations. It said it did so with Conway because she is a “repeat offender” who has ignored the office’s requests to follow the law.

The unprecedented recommendation fueled House Democrats, who have launched wide-ranging investigations into the president’s administration. House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings Elijah Eugene CummingsBlack GOP candidate accuses Behar of wearing black face in heated interview Overnight Health Care: US won't join global coronavirus vaccine initiative | Federal panel lays out initial priorities for COVID-19 vaccine distribution | NIH panel: 'Insufficient data' to show treatment touted by Trump works House Oversight Democrats to subpoena AbbVie in drug pricing probe MORE (D-Md.) announced Thursday he would hold a June 26 hearing with the OSC on its findings, at which Conway will be invited to testify.

White House spokesman Steven Groves accused the office of making a politically motivated decision to target Conway.

“Its decisions seem to be influenced by media pressure and liberal organizations – and perhaps OSC should be mindful of its own mandate to act in a fair, impartial, non-political manner, and not misinterpret or weaponize the Hatch Act,” he said in a statement.

Kerner, a former investigator for congressional Republicans, was nominated by Trump to lead OSC. He began his job in October 2017 after the GOP-controlled Senate confirmed him by voice vote.

His agency found that Conway violated the law during more than half a dozen interviews with Fox News and CNN between February and May 2019, including by accusing Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenHillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline Democratic senators ask inspector general to investigate IRS use of location tracking service MORE (D-Mass.) of “lying” about her ethnicity, calling Sen. Cory Booker Cory Anthony Booker3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing Bipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death DHS opens probe into allegations at Georgia ICE facility MORE (D-N.J.) “sexist” and attacking former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Hillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns Fox News poll: Biden ahead of Trump in Nevada, Pennsylvania and Ohio MORE’s “vision” as well as his “very dark and spooky” campaign announcement video.

All three are running for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

It also said Conway misused her @KellyannePolls Twitter account for political purposes by stating her support for Trump’s reelection campaign, tweeting “#2020:I’mWithHim,” as well as bashing Booker for sounding “like a Hallmark card” and dubbing Biden “Creepy Uncle Joe.”

The report cited “numerous aggravating factors” in the decision to call for Conway’s firing, including its March 2018 finding that she violated the Hatch Act by weighing in on the 2017 Alabama Senate race but failed to rectify her behavior.

It said OSC sent a letter to Conway in December 2018 warning her about her use of Twitter and met with the White House counsel’s office twice in March “about her political activity during official media appearances,” then again in April about her Twitter account.

Conway scoffed when asked on May 29 about her Hatch Act violations, telling reporters at the White House to “let me know when the jail sentence starts,” comments which the OSC pointed to in justifying its move.

“Her defiant attitude is inimical to the law, and her continued pattern of misconduct is unacceptable,” the reports reads.

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White House counsel Pat Cipollone responded to the OSC in an 11-page letter blasting its findings, arguing Conway’s media appearances and tweets are not covered by the law and accusing the office of violating her due-process rights by giving the White House inadequate notice to respond to its specific findings.



“The report is based on numerous grave legal, factual, and procedural errors,” the letter reads. “As a result, the current report would serve only to undermine public confidence in OSC and its procedures.”

The Hatch Act, which was passed in 1939, bars the vast majority of federal employees from using their “official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election.” It was upheld by the Supreme Court in 1947 and 1973.

Conway is not the only White House official to find themselves in the OSC’s crosshairs. Late last year, the office found that six administration figures violated the law by tweeting political messages that were supportive of Trump.

The officials include former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke Ryan Keith ZinkeTrump extends Florida offshore drilling pause, expands it to Georgia, South Carolina Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention Trump flails as audience dwindles and ratings plummet MORE, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley Nimrata (Nikki) Haley'The soul' versus 'law and order' Author Ryan Girdusky: RNC worked best when highlighting 'regular people' as opposed to 'standard Republicans' GOP lobbyists pleasantly surprised by Republican convention MORE, White House social media director Dan Scavino and Stephanie Grisham, spokesperson for first lady Melania Trump Melania TrumpThe Hill's Campaign Report: Trump faces backlash after not committing to peaceful transition of power FBI director casts doubt on concerns over mail-in voting fraud Trump: 'We could hardly hear' boos, chanting at Supreme Court MORE.

The latest ruling against Conway originated from two complaints made by the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), which has consistently criticized the president and Trump administration’s conduct.

“Conway’s repeated violations and publicly expressed disdain for the law show a dangerous disregard for governmental ethics, the rule of law and the long-held understanding that government officials should not use their official positions to advance partisan politics,” CREW executive director Noah Bookbinder said in a statement. “We join OSC in calling for Kellyanne Conway to be removed from federal service.”

—Updated at 3:27 p.m.