Looks like Donald Trump’s counsellor needs to be, well, counselled, if her latest TV interview is anything to go by.
She seems to have violated the ban on Federal employees using public office for endorsement of product by giving her two cents on the whole ‘Nordstrom dropping Ivanka Trump’s fashion line’ debacle.
She told Fox News viewers to “Go buy Ivanka’s stuff!” which yeah, sounds like an endorsement to us.
It comes the day after Donald Trump slammed Nordstrom for dropping his daughter’s line.
He complained that the retailer had treated Ivanka “so unfairly.”
Ms Conway said Ms Trump had “developed another fully, unbelievably, entrepreneurial, wildly successful business that bears her name.”
“They (Nordstrom) are using her, who’s been a champion for women’s empowerment and women in the workplace, to get to him. So I think people can see through that,” Ms Conawy told the morning show Fox & Friends.
“Go buy Ivanka’s stuff, I what I’d say. I hate shopping, I’m going to get some myself today.”
“It’s a wonderful line. I own some of it. I’m going to just, I’m going to give a free commercial here. Go buy it today everybody. You can find it online.”
You’d think someone in such a powerful position would be aware of a rather basic constraint like not endorsing products but these comments certainly appear to have violated the executive branch’s ban on staff endorsing products or companies.
The regulation, which stems from the Office of Governmental Ethics, prohibits using public office for the private gains of oneself, friends or relatives.
Speaking about the ethical misstep, former general counsel Don Fox told The Washington Post, “Ms Conway’s encouragement to buy Ivanka’s stuff would seem to be a clear violation of rules prohibiting misuse of public office for anyone’s private gain.”
He added, “This is jaw-dropping to me.”
Of course, it’s probably not as big of a gaffe as that time she just made up a terrorist attack. True story.
We’ll wait to see if the POTUS has anything else to say on the matter. Press Secretary Sean Spicer has already confirmed Conway’s in hot water for her comments.
We can’t help but think Ivanka must be mortified by the added attention? We know we would be.
