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Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(108,035 posts)
Wed Nov 22, 2017, 03:39 PM Nov 2017

It looks like Kellyanne Conway broke a federal law on national TV again

Kellyanne Conway appeared Tuesday morning on Fox & Friends in her capacity as a White House official, but weighed in on the Alabama special election. Doing so appears to violate federal law, according to several legal experts and former ethics officials who served in previous administrations.

Conway’s endorsement looks like it violated the Hatch Act, a regulations that limits federal employees’ involvement in partisan politics. The rule specifies that an official may not “use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election.”

“Doug Jones in Alabama? Folks, don’t be fooled,” Conway told Fox & Friends viewers, appearing in her capacity as a White House official. “He’ll be a vote against tax cuts, he’s weak on crime, weak on borders, he’s strong on raising your taxes, he’s terrible for property owners, and Doug jones is a doctrinaire liberal which is why he’s not saying anything and why the media are trying to boost him.”

“So vote Roy Moore?” one of the hosts asks her.

Conway’s smooth delivery falters slightly. “I’m telling you, we want the votes in the Senate to get this tax bill through.”

https://thinkprogress.org/kellyanne-conway-hatch-act-8765987220d5/

32 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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It looks like Kellyanne Conway broke a federal law on national TV again (Original Post) Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Nov 2017 OP
Lock her up! nt scarletwoman Nov 2017 #1
How nice to see you malaise Nov 2017 #15
nothing. will. happen. spanone Nov 2017 #2
They do what they damn well please and none stop them. n/t RKP5637 Nov 2017 #3
how does that make any sense........ Takket Nov 2017 #4
she's an employee of the executive branch, not an elected official. maxsolomon Nov 2017 #6
You can endorse a candidate, just not while you are doing government work. Thor_MN Nov 2017 #8
okay... let me ask this......... Takket Nov 2017 #9
Should be "broke (another) federal law." Sneederbunk Nov 2017 #5
Who is surprised by this? Gothmog Nov 2017 #7
...and the complaint has been filed BoneyardDem Nov 2017 #10
Not that it will do any more good this time than it did last time. n/t Ms. Toad Nov 2017 #11
While not much, it is something tangible being done BoneyardDem Nov 2017 #13
It's been on the record before. It did absolutely no good. n/t Ms. Toad Nov 2017 #18
So you're saying it's best to just let it all slide without a peep? BoneyardDem Nov 2017 #20
Where did I say that? Ms. Toad Nov 2017 #21
Of course that's what you are implying BoneyardDem Nov 2017 #22
Someone steal your Wheaties this morning? Ms. Toad Nov 2017 #23
Ahhh I've been warned that your go to is insults BoneyardDem Nov 2017 #27
How is recognizing that you seem to be cranky, Ms. Toad Nov 2017 #28
Nasty, belittling, false assertions, asserting false emotions BoneyardDem Nov 2017 #29
This post got alerted on and went to a jury for peddling "right wing talking points" A HERETIC I AM Nov 2017 #31
Somehow that doesn't surprise me. n/t Ms. Toad Nov 2017 #32
You've "been warned"? Really? By whom? George II Nov 2017 #30
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel which handles these complaints is justhanginon Nov 2017 #16
In effect, even if not literally. n/t Ms. Toad Nov 2017 #19
thank you Walter Shaub! spanone Nov 2017 #12
if not sucessful can bluestarone Nov 2017 #24
She needs to stop speaking with the press - that's it no more appearances. Kirk Lover Nov 2017 #14
I'm surprised hers is not an exempt position. She's clearly acting politically unblock Nov 2017 #17
Have no fear, Jeff Sessions is on the job! DavidDvorkin Nov 2017 #25
Laws are for us little folk. CanonRay Nov 2017 #26

Takket

(21,577 posts)
4. how does that make any sense........
Wed Nov 22, 2017, 03:46 PM
Nov 2017

politicians publicly endorse other politicians all the time.

The COMEY latter makes sense because that was Comey using his position as FBI director to publish a bullshit letter to sway public opinion. But on the other hand if he said "i am endorsing Trump" that is okay isn't it?

I guess i don't understand where the hatch act ends and the 1st amendment begins....

maxsolomon

(33,345 posts)
6. she's an employee of the executive branch, not an elected official.
Wed Nov 22, 2017, 03:58 PM
Nov 2017

if she quit and went to work for Trump 2020, then fine.

 

Thor_MN

(11,843 posts)
8. You can endorse a candidate, just not while you are doing government work.
Wed Nov 22, 2017, 04:03 PM
Nov 2017

You can not address mailers during business hours, while you are on the government clock.

She was campaigning, in her official capacity, while doing government work. She was on the clock, campaigning on our dime.

Firing level offense.

Takket

(21,577 posts)
9. okay... let me ask this.........
Wed Nov 22, 2017, 04:17 PM
Nov 2017

so.... during your free time......... it is okay.... but when you are working on government time (like repping the White House on TV) you are not allowed to promote candidates?

 

BoneyardDem

(1,202 posts)
13. While not much, it is something tangible being done
Wed Nov 22, 2017, 04:50 PM
Nov 2017

Conway will be on record, and there may come a time it will haunt her. It is so much better than letting the Trump clan act without any public notice. It's worth it, every.single.time

 

BoneyardDem

(1,202 posts)
20. So you're saying it's best to just let it all slide without a peep?
Thu Nov 23, 2017, 12:58 AM
Nov 2017

Nope, will never agree to that type of inactivity.

Ms. Toad

(34,075 posts)
21. Where did I say that?
Thu Nov 23, 2017, 01:47 AM
Nov 2017

An observation that nothing will come from an ethics violation, based on the outcome of the last one filed for nearly identicial activity, says nothing at all about whether one should be filed.

 

BoneyardDem

(1,202 posts)
22. Of course that's what you are implying
Thu Nov 23, 2017, 11:12 AM
Nov 2017

Otherwise you would have accepted my last two posts that something is better than nothing. instead you constantly Interject with the negative futilistic negativism. It's all pretty transparent. You had more that one opportunity in this sub thread to state that the complaint should have been filed......and yet the go to fall on our swords is your go to.

Ms. Toad

(34,075 posts)
23. Someone steal your Wheaties this morning?
Thu Nov 23, 2017, 12:29 PM
Nov 2017

The thought that the complaint should not have been filed literally never crossed my mind.

In fact I filed (at least) two ethics complaints with the OGE against Conway in response to similar behavior in the past, before they changed the website to make it impossible to easily file a complaint. I posted something here about the first complaint I filed, as well as about the change in the website after the second.

But since your post suggests you pay attention to what I post, you probably know that.

 

BoneyardDem

(1,202 posts)
27. Ahhh I've been warned that your go to is insults
Sat Nov 25, 2017, 11:28 AM
Nov 2017

And you lived up to the warning......you lost this argument some time ago. You are a waste of time

Ms. Toad

(34,075 posts)
28. How is recognizing that you seem to be cranky,
Sat Nov 25, 2017, 04:14 PM
Nov 2017

and acknowleding what you said about how I constantly respond an example of me being insulting?

I've been responding pretty calmly and without a lot of emotion to:

1. Your inaccurate assumption about what I was thinking when I made my initial post
2. Your doubling down when I explained that wasn't what I was thinking
3. Your insistence that to have any credibility I needed to have responded the way you might have responded
4. And finally calling me a waste of time, and twice implying that you are stalking me (first commenting on how I always respond when - to my knowledge - I've never interacted with you before and now suggesting you are talking to other people about how I respond).

I'm not particularly fond of people imputing motives to me that I don't have - or make allegations that are generally untrue about how I have interacted with you - yet all I have done is to correct your assumption about my motives and inquire in a joking manner about why you are so cranky.

I haven't lobbed a single insult at you, despite your allegations to the contrary.

 

BoneyardDem

(1,202 posts)
29. Nasty, belittling, false assertions, asserting false emotions
Sat Nov 25, 2017, 06:09 PM
Nov 2017

...still at it I see. Yes, it's all insulting. And to top it off your attempt at turning this sub thread around to make yourself seem like a victim. It would be pretty laughable if it weren't so sad.

A HERETIC I AM

(24,370 posts)
31. This post got alerted on and went to a jury for peddling "right wing talking points"
Sat Nov 25, 2017, 09:43 PM
Nov 2017

The only thing I have to say about that and what it says about some participants of this site is;




justhanginon

(3,290 posts)
16. The U.S. Office of Special Counsel which handles these complaints is
Wed Nov 22, 2017, 06:04 PM
Nov 2017

closed for the next three years or until further notice. By order of the Prezident of the once great United States

 

Kirk Lover

(3,608 posts)
14. She needs to stop speaking with the press - that's it no more appearances.
Wed Nov 22, 2017, 04:55 PM
Nov 2017

She obviously doesn't know, doesn't care, or doesn't want to follow the rules, I mean LAW.

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