LOOK: Gov’t. Ethics Office Not Happy White House Refusing to Discipline Kellyanne Conway Over Ivanka ‘Free Commercial’

‘Disciplinary Action Serves to Deter Future Misconduct’

The Office of Government Ethics (OGE) has sent the White House a letter expressing its displeasure with the Trump administration’s decision to not discipline Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway for the “free commercial” she gave Ivanka Trump. Conway, from the White House and in her official capacity while speaking with Fox News told viewers to go out and buy products from the president’s daughter’s clothing line.

Citing “Conway’s misuse of position,” OGE Director Walter Shaub explained in a letter to the White House Thursday that “disciplinary action serves to deter future misconduct.” 

“Not taking disciplinary action against a senior official under such circumstances risks undermining the ethics program,” the Director warned. 

Director Shaub went on to note that the Trump administration’s “extraordinary assertion that ‘many’ of OGE’s regulations are inapplicable to employees of the Executive Office of the President… is incorrect.”

Shaub also reminded the Trump administration that contrary to their claim, they are subject to the rules of the Office of Government Ethics:

“OGE also disagrees with the separate assertion in a footnote to your letter that White House employees are outside OGE’s purview.”

MSNBC producer Kyle Griffin posted the letter, and one to the House Oversight Committee, to Twitter: 

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