Ethics office: Conway committed ‘clear violation’ with Ivanka plug Office of Government Ethics director Walter Shaub recommends that the White House investigate Donald Trump's senior adviser.

Kellyanne Conway, a senior adviser to Donald Trump committed a “clear violation” of ethics rules when she hawked Ivanka Trump’s clothing line on Fox & Friends last week, the federal government’s ethics watchdog said in a letter released Tuesday.

“I recommend that the White House investigate Ms. Conway’s actions and consider taking disciplinary action against her,” Office of Government Ethics director Walter Shaub wrote in the letter, which is dated Feb. 13 and was posted online by Democrats on the House oversight committee.


Conway offered what she described as a “free commercial” for Ivanka Trump’s clothing line after Nordstrom pulled her items from its racks, drawing a Twitter rebuke from President Donald Trump.

Though White House spokesman Sean Spicer said last week that Conway had been “counseled” over her comments, Shaub wrote that OGE has not yet received notification of any disciplinary or other corrective action against her.

In his letter, Shaub notes that Conway’s appearance on Fox & Friends was held in the White House’s press briefing room, signaling that she was conducting the interview in her “official capacity.” "She used that interview, however, as an opportunity to market Ms. Trump’s products," Shaub wrote.

The letter, sent to Donald Trump’s deputy White House counsel Stefan Passantino, was copied to White House counsel Don McGahn as well as to Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), leaders of the House oversight panel. Chaffetz and Cummings were both quick to chastise Conway on Thursday, writing a letter to OGE that said Conway’s comments about the president’s daughter’s business “clearly violate the ethical principles for federal employees and are unacceptable.”

Shaub, which noted Conway’s apparent infraction is identical to the example of unethical conduct that OGE offers on its website, asked the White House to notify the agency of any investigation and actions by Feb. 28.