White House Says Conway Has Been 'Counseled' After Touting Ivanka Trump's Products
WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House says Kellyanne Conway has been "counseled" after delivering a televised plug for the fashion brand of First Daughter Ivanka Trump.
Sean Spicer says: "She's been counseled, and that's all we're going to say."
But a key Republican lawmaker says that's not enough.
House Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz (CHAY'-fits) says the White House counselor's comments were "wrong, wrong, wrong, clearly over the line, unacceptable."
The Republican congressman said the White House must refer the matter to the Office of Government Ethics for review. He said he and Democratic Oversight Leader Elijah Cummings are writing a letter to the office and he will also write to President Donald Trump about the matter.
"It needs to be dealt with," he told The Associated Press. "There's no ifs, ands or buts about it."
Chaffetz was referring to Conway's Thursday interview with Fox News in which she boasted she was giving the president's daughter "a free commercial here" and urged viewers to "Go buy Ivanka's stuff."
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Conway has been "counseled." Chaffetz said that isn't enough.
While Trump himself is not subject to the standards of ethical conduct for federal employees, Conway is. Among the rules: An employee shall not use his or her office "for the endorsement of any product, service or enterprise."
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