Trump Fires Off on Demands for Kellyanne's Removal: 'It Doesn't Work That Way'
For all those Kellyanne Conway haters out there who were hoping she would be fired soon, don’t hold your breath.
President Donald Trump just delivered a clear message and it’s looking good for Conway’s job security. “I’m not gonna fire her. I think she’s a terrific person. She’s a tremendous spokesperson,” Trump said.
Trump made the statement during an interview Friday morning on “Fox & Friends.”
Conway recently came under fire after a government watchdog group asked that she be removed from office for alleged violations of the Hatch act. The accusations claim Conway repeatedly violated the law by making disparaging statements about political candidates during interviews and on Twitter.
The Hatch Act prohibits specified political activity of federal employees that might appear to be political interference.
The report was distributed by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel — a group different from the federal entity Robert Mueller oversaw.
As The Washington Times reported in May, Conway has been asked about her potential Hatch violations previously. “If you’re trying to silence me through the Hatch Act, it’s not going to work…Let me know when the jail sentence starts,” she responded.
If you think that the pressure on Conway might cause Trump to ask Conway to change her fiery approach, think again.
Trump made it clear he wants Conway to be able to give full-throated responses to the questions she is asked.
“It looks to me like they’re trying to take away her right of free speech,” Trump said. When asked if Conway should adjust her tactics, Trump responded, “It doesn’t work that way. A person wouldn’t be able to express themselves, and I just don’t see it.”
“The Office of Special Counsel’s unprecedented actions against Kellyanne Conway are deeply flawed and violate her constitutional rights to free speech and due process,” Steven Groves, a White House spokesman, said in a statement, according to Washington Examiner.
“Others, of all political views, have objected to the OSC’s unclear and unevenly applied rules which have a chilling effect on free speech for all federal employees. Its decisions seem to be influenced by media pressure and liberal organizations — and perhaps OSC should be mindful of its own mandate to act in a fair, impartial, non-political manner, and not misinterpret or weaponize the Hatch Act,” Groves said.
Henry Kerner, the source of the OSC’s recommendation, didn’t back down from his recommendation but said he would defer to the president.
“We respect his decision and, of course, the president has any option he’d like — to reprimand or not to reprimand,” Kerner said. “It is up to the president’s discretion and we respect that.”
Kerner rebuffed the idea that the recommendation was based on any bias.
“I am a Trump appointee — I have no animus toward Kellyanne whatsoever,” Kerner said. “My job is to make sure the federal workforce stay as depoliticized and as fair as possible.”
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