Federal Watchdog Recommends Kellyanne Conway Be ‘Removed From Service’ for Hatch Act Violations

What’s the story?

• The Office of Special Counsel has recommended that White House counselor Kellyanne Conway be “removed from service” over repeated violations of the Hatch Act, which bans federal employees from political activity.
• The federal watchdog agency, tasked with investigating wrongdoing by government employees, found that Conway “violated the Hatch Act on numerous occasions by disparaging Democratic presidential candidates while speaking in her official capacity during television interviews and on social media.”
• The OSC called on President Donald Trump to oust Conway “immediately.”
•  “As a highly visible member of the administration, Ms. Conway’s violations, if left unpunished, would send a message to all federal employees that they need not abide by the Hatch Act’s restrictions,” special counsel Henry Kerner wrote to Trump.

“Her actions thus erode the principal foundation of our democratic system—the rule of law.”

• The White House promptly rejected the office’s recommendation, saying the OSC’s findings are “deeply flawed and violate her constitutional rights to free speech and due process.”

Read the full OSC report here:

What do you think?

Should Kellyanne Conway be “removed from service”? Take action and tell your reps, then share your thoughts below.

—Josh Herman

(Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr)