Trump says he won't fire Conway over Hatch Act violations

The Associated Press
June 14, 2019 at 12:51PM
In this April 30, 2019 photo, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway talks with reporters outside the White House in Washington.
In this April 30, 2019 photo, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway talks with reporters outside the White House in Washington. A federal watchdog is recommending that President Donald Trump remove counselor Kellyanne Conway from federal service for repeatedly violating the Hatch Act by repeatedly disparaging Democratic presidential candidates while speaking in her official capacity during television interviews and on social media. (Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says he won't fire White House counselor Kellyanne Conway after a federal watchdog agency recommended her removal for repeatedly violating a law that limits political activity by government workers.

Trump tells Fox & Friends that he was briefed on the Office of Special Counsel investigation Thursday and says "it looks to me like they're trying to take away her right of free speech and that's just not fair."

OSC, which is unrelated to special counsel Robert Mueller's office, said in a letter to Trump that Conway has been a "repeat offender" of the Hatch Act by disparaging Democratic presidential candidates while speaking in her official capacity during television interviews and on social media.

Trump says of Conway, "she's got to have a right of responding to questions."

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