Austin KimWhite House aide Kellyanne Conway is accused of violating ethics rules again.
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel says Conway violated the Hatch Act twice. (By the way, that isn't the same office investigating Russian meddling.) Conway's Nov. 20 appearance on "Fox & Friends" is under scrutiny. She criticized then-U.S. Democratic Senate candidate Doug Jones.
"Doug Jones in Alabama ... folks, don’t be fooled," Conway said. "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."
Then, on Dec. 6 on CNN, Conway also defended President Donald Trump's endorsement of Jones' rival, Republican candidate Roy Moore, while also putting down Jones' credentials.
"The ideology and the vote of Doug Jones — he'll be a reliable vote for tax hikes, he'll be a reliable vote against border security," she said on CNN's "New Day."
The Hatch Act bars federal employees, except the president and vice president, from using their position to publicly influence or sway an election.
Conway has been in murky ethical waters before. She once promoted Ivanka Trump's retail brand on "Fox & Friends" while speaking in an official capacity.
The office referred its findings to the White House, which could punish Conway. But it doesn't look like that will happen. A White House spokesperson says Conway didn't advocate for or against a particular candidate during her TV appearances.
