Kellyanne Conway: ‘Not Even Clear What the Hatch Act’ Says… But ‘I Haven’t Violated It’

Kellyanne Conway railed against Congressional Democrats on Monday for their upcoming vote on whether to subpoena her for repeated Hatch Act violations.

President Donald Trump has said that he will not fire Conway for her violations despite the Office of Special Counsel’s recommendations, so the House Oversight Committee will vote on Wednesday on how to proceed with her refusal to obey ethics laws forbidding her involvement with partisan political activity. When the topic came up on Fox & Friends, she started off by saying the Trump Administration doesn’t really know how the Hatch Act is defined.

“It is not even clear to us here at the White House – according to the White House counsel – that the Hatch Act applies to assistants to the president,” Conway said. “It’s not even clear what the Hatch Act allows.”

For the record, the text of the law states that federal employees are prohibited from various forms of political engagement. This includes passages saying they are not allowed to “use [their] official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election,” they may not “knowingly solicit, accept, or receive a political contribution from any person,” nor can they “knowingly solicit or discourage the participation in any political activity of any person.”

As Conway acknowledged that the law says federal employees can’t advocate for individual election candidates, she defended herself by arguing she was stating facts and “repeating the news” in her violations.

“You know what they’re mad about,” she continued, “they want to put a big roll of masking tape over my mouth…They want to silence me now. This is my First Amendment right. They want to chill free speech because they don’t know how to beat [Trump] at the ballot box.”

Conway concluded by saying, “Even if the Hatch Act applies, our position is I haven’t violated it.” Fox & Friends declined to challenge her further, with Steve Doocy simply acknowledging Trump’s refusal to discipline Conway.

Watch above, via Fox News.