Trump Won’t Fire Kellyanne Conway, Disagrees “Entirely” With Fed Chair Powell

President Trump said on Friday that he wouldn’t fire senior aide Kellyanne Conway after a watchdog found she violated a federal law prohibiting political speech in her official capacity.

“No, I’m not going to fire her. I think she’s a terrific person,” Trump told Fox News, adding “I got briefed on it yesterday and it looks to me like they’re trying to take away their right of free speech. And that’s just not fair.”

“She’s got to have the right of responding to questions.”

On Thursday, Special Counsel Henry Kerner (no relation to Mueller’s office) said in a letter that his office had never before found such repeated violations by former presidential aides, and recommended that Trump fire Conway, who erred by “disparaging Democratic presidential candidates while speaking in her official capacity during television interviews and on social media.”

Delaware hospital shooting suspect identified, faces multiple charges including first-degree murder

Judge reveals Luigi Mangione will pursue psychiatric defense in UnitedHealthcare CEO assassination case

12 Key Points on Iran Peace Deal Revealed, as Trump Says He’ll Likely Read It to Media So They Get It Right

Pentagon Sends Coast Guard to Rescue 2 Survivors After Latest Deadly Strike on Narco-Terrorists in Pacific

Oklahoma Democrats face runoff showdown in race for deep-red Senate seat

Deadly B-52 crash puts focus on engines, controllability as investigators hunt for answers

Trump says Senate hearing on DNI nominee is cancelled until US attorney replacement confirmed

Trump DNI pick braces for Senate grilling as temporary stand-in fuels Dem pressure

5 chilling details from the alleged White House attack plot tied to UFC event

Canadian tourism to US begins to rebound after 51st state, tariffs debacle

Netanyahu’s relationship with Trump becomes baggage in reelection campaign

Trump wins two, loses one: Georgia billionaire delivers rare blow to endorsement machine

Texas plane crash leaves one dead, more injured after business jet catches fire on highway

GOP Gov DeWine urges Ohio to abolish the death penalty, says it is no longer a deterrent

Dems pick potential successor to DC’s congressional delegate after decades-long incumbency

“Ms. Conway’s violations, if left unpunished, would send a message to all federal employees that they need not abide by the Hatch Act’s restrictions. Her actions thus erode the principal foundation of our democratic system — the rule of law,” reads the letter.

“If Ms. Conway were any other federal employee, her multiple violations of the law would almost certainly result in her removal from her federal position,” Kerner added. “Never has (the office) had to issue multiple reports to the President concerning Hatch Act violations by the same individual.”

“given that Ms. Conway is a repeat offender and has shown disregard for the law, (the office) recommends that she be removed from federal service,” reads a separate statement from the Office of the Special Counsel alongside the report.

As CNN notes, White House counsel Pat Cipollone pushed back against the report, writing that the special counsel’s office did not give the White House or Conway time to respond to the report, and that her social media statements and media interviews did not constitute violations of the Hatch Act.