Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


US Ethics Watchdogs Seen Losing Clout in Trump Era

Masood Farivar

   Last week, the Office of Special Counsel, a little-known government
   watchdog, declared Kellyanne Conway a "repeat offender" of the federal
   Hatch Act and recommended that President Donald Trump fire her.

   Conway had used her perch as presidential counselor to lambaste
   Democratic candidates in media interviews, a clear violation of the
   law, which prohibits government employees from engaging in political
   activity at work.

   This was the special counsel's second call for disciplinary action
   against Conway, but Trump stood by his longtime adviser.

   "I'm not going to fire her," Trump said on the TV program Fox and
   Friends. "I think she's a terrific person. It looks to me like they're
   trying to take away her right of free speech."

.