Gov. Ethics Watchdog Recommends Investigation Of Trump Counselor Kellyanne Conway
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The government's ethics watchdog is recommending that the White House investigate and possibly discipline President Donald Trump's counselor Kellyanne Conway.
In a letter made public Tuesday, the Office of Government Ethics wrote to White House attorneys that there's reason to believe that Conway violated the standards of ethical conduct for executive employees by endorsing Ivanka Trump's fashion line during a television interview last week.
Here's the response we sent to Chairman Chaffetz and Ranking Member Cummings. Also available at: https://t.co/MQhdqv84IK pic.twitter.com/wXQCRTWTpc
— U.S. OGE (@OfficeGovEthics) February 14, 2017
The letter notes lawyers for the White House and OGE spoke on Feb. 9 -- the day of Conway's interview -- and that the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House Oversight Committee asked OGE to follow up.
"Prior to receiving your letter, OGE had begun consulting with the White House regarding this matter, pursuant to OGE's regulations for addressing potential violations by individual employees of the executive branch," the U.S. Office of Government Ethics wrote.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said last week that Conway has been "counseled," but the OGE said it has yet to receive any guidance on what if anything happened as a corrective action. The OGE is requesting that White House lawyers tell them in writing by Feb. 28 what they've done about the matter.
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