FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 8, 2019

CONTACT: Jordan Libowitz

202-408-5565 | [email protected]

Kellyanne Conway Keeps Violating the Hatch Act

Washington — Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway has continued to violate the Hatch Act by providing unprompted attacks on 2020 presidential candidates while acting in her official government role in televised interviews, according to a complaint filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) with the Office of Special Counsel (OSC).

The Hatch Act prohibits any executive branch employee from “us[ing] his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election.” Last March, the OSC determined that Conway had violated the Hatch Act in two television interviews regarding Alabama’s special election, even after she received extensive training on how to follow the law following a CREW complaint about her promotion of Ivanka Trump products.

“Kellyanne Conway’s repeated violation of federal law, especially in light of the OSC’s prior decision and training is appalling,” said CREW Executive Director Noah Bookbinder. “She shows a dangerous disregard for ethics laws and no understanding that government officials should not use their official positions to advance partisan politics.”

Conway is already under investigation by OSC for potential Hatch Act violations following a CREW complaint alleging that she used her official government Twitter account to promote the Republican party and that she expressed political views about candidates for public office in a television interview in her official capacity. Following previous CREW complaints, nine Trump Administration officials have been cited for Hatch Act violations including Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, Deputy Assistant to the President and Communications Director for the Office of the First Lady Stephanie Grisham and White House Director of Social Media Dan Scavino.

“Time and time again, we’ve seen members of this administration act as though they are above the law,” said Bookbinder. “It is beyond time to hold officials accountable for their actions. OSC should launch another investigation into Ms. Conway’s conduct and consider additional measures to hold President Trump’s administration accountable when they violate ethical principles and federal law.”

Read the full complaint here.

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