Donald Trump close in staff women have a rough day….
The Office of Special Counsel on Thursday recommended the removal of White House counselor Kellyanne Conway from federal office for violating the Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from engaging in political activity in the course of their work.
The report submitted to President Trump found that Conway violated the Hatch Act on numerous occasions by “disparaging Democratic presidential candidates while speaking in her official capacity during television interviews and on social media.” The agency described her as a “repeat offender.”
The decision about whether to remove Conway is up to Trump. A senior White House official said Thursday the president is unlikely to punish Conway and instead will defend her. The White House counsel immediately issued a letter calling for the agency to withdraw its recommendation that Conway be removed — a request the Office of Special Counsel declined….
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders is leaving her post at the end of the month, President Trump announced on Twitter Thursday.
After 3 1/2 years, our wonderful Sarah Huckabee Sanders will be leaving the White House at the end of the month and going home to the Great State of Arkansas. She is a very special person with extraordinary talents, who has done an incredible job! I hope she decides to run for Governor of Arkansas – she would be fantastic. Sarah, thank you for a job well done!
Why it matters: Sanders has long been one of President Trump’s fiercest and most loyal defenders, and became notorious for her combative exchanges with reporters and — toward the latter part of her tenure — lack of press briefings. As Axios’ Jonathan Swan notes, by the end she wasn’t really a press secretary. She was a top adviser who Trump consulted on just about everything.
top image…talkingpointsmemo.com
bottom image…latimes.com
Trump will NOT for the second time fire Conway for transgressions that would have cost anyone else their job with another President….