Kellyanne Conway May Have Violated Federal Ethics Law — Again

WASHINGTON, DC — Two former ethics chiefs have accused President Trump's adviser Kellyanne Conway of violating a law that prohibits federal employees from using their office to influence elections.

Walter Shaub, the former director of the Office of Government Ethics under President Obama, filed a complaint with a federal watchdog group after Conway spoke about the Alabama Senate special election on Monday.

In an interview on “Fox and Friends” Monday, Conway appeared to endorse Senate candidate Roy Moore over Democrat Doug Jones.

“Doug Jones in Alabama, folks, don’t be fooled. He will be a vote against tax cuts. He is weak on crime, weak on borders. He is strong on raising your taxes. He is terrible for property owners," Conway said.

In response, Shaub wrote on Twitter Wednesday that he filed a complaint with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, which investigates violations of the Hatch Act.

The Hatch Act forbids federal employees from using their office to influence elections in the United States.

Separately, President George W. Bush’s ethics adviser, Richard Painter, said on Twitter that what Conway did was a “firing offense.”

“She has violated the Hatch Act by using her position to take sides in a partisan election. That is a firing offense. And for her this is strike two,” Painter wrote.

Earlier this year, Conway appeared on another Fox show and urged viewers to buy products made by President Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump. “Go buy Ivanka’s stuff,” she said from the White House press briefing room.

Ethics rules prohibit federal employees from endorsing services or products.

In a statement to The Hill newspaper, a Trump spokesperson denied Conway made any partisan political statements. "Ms. Conway did not advocate for or against the election of a candidate, and specifically declined to encourage Alabamans to vote a certain way," Raj Shah said in the statement.

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin