WASHINGTON, D.C. – New Jersey native Kellyanne Conway will not appear before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday for a hearing into alleged Hatch Act violations committed by the White House adviser.
One members of the committee – Mark Meadows (R, NC-11) – says he prepped for the hearing on Tuesday morning and thinks the investigation itself was severely flawed:
Reviewing the Hatch Act “investigation” materials on Kellyanne Conway. This investigation was a disaster. The OSC selectively applied rules, abused procedure and even violated Kellyanne’s constitutional rights. They should be ashamed.
I look forward to questioning them tomorrow.
— Mark Meadows (@MarkMeadows) June 25, 2019
“Reviewing the Hatch Act “investigation” materials on Kellyanne Conway. This investigation was a disaster,” Meadows tweeted. “The OSC selectively applied rules, abused procedure and even violated Kellyanne’s constitutional rights. They should be ashamed. I look forward to questioning them tomorrow.”
The Hatch Act of 1939 regulates executive branch employees’ participation in certain political activities. The U.S. Office of Special Counsel is currently accusing Conway of “impermissibly mixed official government business with political views about candidates in the Alabama special election” of 2017.
“While the Hatch Act allows federal employees to express their views about candidates and political issues as private citizens, it restricts employees from using their official government positions for partisan political purposes, including by trying to influence partisan elections,” the OSC report explains.
The White House denies that Conway’s comments constituted a violation.
Conway’s accusers cite two appearances – one CNN and the second on Fox News – during which she went after then-Alabama U.S. senate candidate Doug Jones, a Democrat.
“Doug Jones in Alabama, folks, don’t be fooled. He’ll be a vote against tax cuts. He’s weak on crime, weak on borders. He’s strong on raising your taxes. He’s terrible for property owners. And Doug Jones is a doctrinaire liberal which is why he’s not saying anything and the media are trying to boost him,” said Conway during her November 20th Fox News appearance.
“I’m telling you that we want the votes in the Senate to get this tax bill through,” Conway followed up when host Brian Kilmeade asked her “So vote Roy Moore?”
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