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.”

Watch: Lindsay Clancy Jurors Accidentally Admit They Made Their Decision Based on the Wrong Criteria

Art Garfunkel Says He’s Contemplating Leaving America Because of Trump

Oil hits $100 per barrel after US hit Iranian tankers near Strait of Hormuz

EXCLUSIVE — Newsom’s hard truth for Democrats: ‘It’s our performance’

Trump hails ‘really big night’ for populists in German election after historic victory

Supreme Court chief justice praises outgoing Smithsonian leader who was under pressure from Trump admin

Who were the key figures in the Bush administration on 9/11, and where are they now

George Bush welcomes top officials to his home state for 9/11 remembrance on 25th anniversary of attacks

Socialist politicians are ‘more racist than the KKK,’ says Black Dem official urging voters to ditch El-Sayed

Appeals court upholds order blocking IRS from sharing taxpayer data with ICE

Senator’s daughter wins Democratic nod in closely watched race to replace outgoing Dem incumbent

Data shows Amazon jet’s key braking systems did not deploy during deadly Miami crash: NTSB

Ex-Dem lobbyist for company that promoted addictive opioid clears key gubernatorial hurdle

Wife of top ex-Biden advisor easily advances to House showdown in November

Cold case takes grim turn after remains identified as runaway teen; homicide investigation underway

“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.