Kellyanne Conway, senior adviser to President Donald Trump, has landed herself in hot water for promoting Ivanka Trump’s clothing line on US television.
“I’m going to give it a free commercial here,” the senior White House adviser said during a Fox News interview on Thursday. “Go buy it today, everybody. You can find it online.”
The comments drew swift criticism from ethicists and top Democrats, who note that the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) forbids federal employees from using their public office to endorse products, services or enterprises.
Robert Weissman, president of liberal advocacy group Public Citizen, said in a statement that the 50-year-old’s “sales pitch” was a clear violation of the rule.
“Conway’s self-proclaimed advertisement for the Ivanka Trump fashion line demonstrates again what anyone with common sense already knew: President Trump and the Trump administration will use the government apparatus to advance the interests of the family businesses.”
The OGE is yet to publicly respond to calls to investigate the comments.
So far, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has said only that Conway “has been counselled” over the issue.
Conway's comments came on the back of a February 2 decision by US retail chain, Nordstrom Inc, to drop the First Daughter's shoes and clothing from their stores.
It was a move the company attributed to low sales, but the President didn't seem to see it that way.
"My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom," he tweeted Wednesday. "She is a great person — always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!"
Top Comments
Just as I've said before; Trump doesn't give a flying crap about America. Being in the White House is just a way for him and his family to make money and further their business interests. Nothing more, nothing less.
It's not like he needed the job, the money or the aggravation. He also negotiated his salary as President to be $1 per year, the minimum it can be.
Cleary you have them confused with the Clintons.
You might laugh this episode off as yet another bit of "Kellyanne silliness" - except that it's not.
It's fascism at work.
Fascists believe that the laws we all live by don't apply to them because they're SPECIAL.
This illustrates a simple-minded mindset typical of religious fundamentalists & now TRUMP-followers.
The "man in the sky" and the "man in The White House" will answer our prayers no matter how extraordinary or heinous because it's now OUR time in history to get what we want.
All of that "Leftie, soppy PC crap" is out the window because we now have permission to be as cruel to minorities, the disabled, military veterans, the poor, the aged, & the "environmentally concerned" as we like.
WE no longer have to worry about ETHICS because we actually don't have a grasp on what they are - so they don't matter, do they ?
Kellyanne is a disgrace because she's sold out .........she's been instrumental in helping the least qualified American obtain the Presidency in a time of extreme fragility in this world.
She's "followed the leader" and treated her job with the utmost contempt - shameful.
Fascism is correct. Please consider supporting the American chapters of Antifa over the next four years while they fight this!
So, would you say the Clinton Foundation is fascist under your definition? Is Clinton fascist for having a secret server to avoid things she does as SecState being available for record and review like everyone else should do?
Amazing how so many have suddenly discovered political ethics after barracking for Clinton as hard as they could.
Antifa is a domestic terrorist group sworn to the continued use of violence. They also fly their flag with groups that enslave women and girls for rape. https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
Yet the findings of the $20 million investigation into the Clinton email scandal over several years, in which no charges were laid, and 'no criminal wrongdoing' was recorded - simply concluded Hilary was 'extremely careless.'
The truth matters.