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ellyanne Conway, a senior adviser to President Trump, said in an interview from the White House that people should "go buy Ivanka's stuff."
President Trump's adviser Kellyanne Conway was unrepentant Thursday night for using her White House position to promote first daughter Ivanka Trump's fashion brand, despite a backlash from ethics experts and public officials.
Conway made the plug Thursday in an interview with Fox News Channel, one day after the president attacked Nordstrom department stores for dropping his daughter's fashion line.
Her comment to "go buy Ivanka Trump stuff" was made from the White House Thursday morning while talking to Fox News.
"This is a very successful businesswoman," Conway said, before offering statistics about how many stores sell Ivanka Trump merchandise and calling her a "champion for women empowerment."
The White House said later in the day that Conway had been "counseled" about the matter.
And in a remarkable rebuke to the White House, a bipartisan letter was sent to the Office of Government Ethics Thursday, asking that office to determine whether she should receive a stronger disciplinary response, including suspension, demotion or dismissal.
Conway appeared again on Fox Thursday evening and, when asked about the uproar, said, "I'm not going to comment on that... I have nothing more to say about it." She said that the president "supports me 100%."
"At some point, I hope American women work for a boss that treats them the way President Trump treated me today," Conway said.
Conway said that the White House is "aware of the letter" to the ethics office and is "reviewing it internally."
The letter was authored by Representative Elijah Cummings, a Democrat, and Jason Chaffetz, Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee.
It warned, "In this case, there is an additional challenge, which is that the President, as the ultimate disciplinary authority for the White House employees, has an inherent conflict of interest since Conway's statements relate to his daughter's private business."
"For this reason, we request that you use authority Congress granted to you...to 'recommend to [Trump] the appropriate disciplinary action (such as reprimand, suspension, demotion or dismissal) be brought against'" Conway.
A day earlier, the president had attacked Nordstrom department stores for dropping his daughter's line of clothing and accessories.
Ethics lawyers, lawmakers and government watchdog organizations called for investigations into Conway's endorsement, and suggested or said outright that she had violated government ethics law.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters that Conway has been "counseled on that subject, and that's it." He did not elaborate.
kellyanne conway
Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway is under fire for asking people to "go buy Ivanka's stuff" on national TV.
Conway was appearing on "Fox & Friends" when an interviewer raised the subject of Ivanka Trump. Conway praised the president's daughter as a "very successful businesswoman" and a "champion for women empowerment," and offered statistics about how many stores sell her merchandise.
"Go buy Ivanka's stuff, is what I would tell you," Conway said. "It's a wonderful line. I own some of it. I fully -- I'm going to just, I'm going to give a free commercial here: Go buy it today, everybody. You can find it online."
"Go buy Ivanka's stuff, is what I would tell you," Conway said. "It's a wonderful line. I own some of it. I fully -- I'm going to just, I'm going to give a free commercial here: Go buy it today, everybody. You can find it online."
Related: Trump's Nordstrom blast retweeted by @POTUS
Related: Trump's Nordstrom blast retweeted by @POTUS
Federal law says that public employees may not use their positions "for the endorsement of any product, service or enterprise, or for the private gain of friends, relatives, or persons with whom the employee is affiliated in a nongovernmental capacity."
Federal law says that public employees may not use their positions "for the endorsement of any product, service or enterprise, or for the private gain of friends, relatives, or persons with whom the employee is affiliated in a nongovernmental capacity."
Cummings earlier called Conway's TV plug "a textbook violation of government ethics laws and regulations enacted to prevent the abuse of an employee's government position." Chaffetz did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Larry Noble, the general counsel of the Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan organization of election law experts, said that in his opinion, Conway "may have violated the law."
Larry Noble, the general counsel of the Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan organization of election law experts, said that in his opinion, Conway "may have violated the law."
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
An ethics group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, asked for the Office of Government Ethics and the White House counsel's office to look into the "apparent violation of law" and to "take any necessary discipline against her."
The Office of Government Ethics advises executive branch officials on how to avoid conflicts of interest. Its director harshly criticized Trump last month for his decision to not divest ownership of his business interests.
Related: Is Ivanka Trump's brand losing its bling?
The office did not return a request for comment, but it said in a series of tweets that it was fielding an "extraordinary volume" of phone calls, emails and web traffic from citizens in response to "recent events."
The ethics office stressed that it does not have enforcement power, like Congress or the FBI. When it learns of possible ethics violations, it said, it contacts the relevant agency and provides guidance.
Follow
U.S. OGE ✔ @OfficeGovEthics
1/OGE’s website, phone system and email system are receiving an extraordinary volume of contacts from citizens about recent events.
2:24 PM - 9 Feb 2017
2,340 2,340 Retweets 4,092 4,092 likes
Richard Painter, who served as chief ethics lawyer in the George W. Bush administration, said he would not address whether any White House official was violating the law.
Richard Painter, who served as chief ethics lawyer in the George W. Bush administration, said he would not address whether any White House official was violating the law.
But he said public officials, when giving public speeches or TV interviews in an official capacity, may not promote the products of "a particular private business belonging to the employee's own family, the President's family, a friend, a campaign contributor or anyone else."
But he said public officials, when giving speeches or interviews in an official capacity, may not promote the products of "a particular private business belonging to the employee's own family, the President's family, a friend, a campaign contributor or anyone else."
"That was strictly forbidden in the Bush administration because it is illegal," he said.
"That was strictly forbidden in the Bush administration because it is illegal," he said.
Stan Brand, a former chief legal officer for the House of Representatives, said that Conway's endorsement appeared to be "technically a violation."
Stan Brand, a former chief legal officer for the House of Representatives, said that Conway's endorsement appeared to be "technically a violation."
He suggested it was doubtful that any law enforcement official would pursue "a single statement like this," but he said "a pattern or practice of such conduct could become a problem."
He suggested it was doubtful that any law enforcement official would pursue "a single statement like this," but he said "a pattern or practice of such conduct could become a problem."
Nordstrom said last week that it would no longer carry Ivanka Trump's line of clothing and accessories because of "brand performance." An online campaign called #GrabYourWallet has encouraged shoppers to boycott Ivanka Trump merchandise.
Related: Nordstrom stock defies Trump
Nordstrom said last week that it would no longer carry Ivanka Trump's line of clothing ando accessories because of "brand performance." An online campaign called #GrabYourWallet has encouraged shoppers to boycott Ivanka Trump merchandise.
In addition, the company that owns TJ Maxx and Marshalls said that it recently sent a memo to workers instructing them not to highlight the Ivanka Trump brand in stores. It did not provide a reason for those instructions.
In addition, the company that owns TJ Maxx and Marshalls said that it recently sent a memo to workers instructing them not to highlight the Ivanka Trump brand in stores. It did not provide a reason for those instructions.
And the Belk department store chain said it plans to pull Ivanka Trump products from its website, but will continue to offer them in stores. Belk said the decision was a response to customer feedback.
And the Belk department store chain said it plans to pull Ivanka Trump products from its website, but will continue to offer them in stores. Belk said the decision was a response to customer feedback.
On Wednesday, Trump tore into Nordstrom for mistreating his daughter.
On Wednesday, Trump tore into Nordstrom for mistreating his daughter.
"My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person -- always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!" he tweeted.
"My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person -- always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!" he tweeted.
The message was retweeted by the official presidential Twitter account, @POTUS, and raised eyebrows among ethics lawyers.
The message was retweeted by the official presidential Twitter account, @POTUS, and raised eyebrows among ethics lawyers.
Noble said the president's tweet was "totally out of line."
Noble said the president's tweet was "totally out of line."
Related: Ethics office swamped with calls after Conway plugs Ivanka Trump line
"He should not be promoting his daughter's line, he should not be attacking a company that has business dealings with his daughter, and it just shows the massive amount of problems we have with his business holdings and his family's business holdings," Noble said Wednesday.
"He should not be promoting his daughter's line, he should not be attacking a company that has business dealings with his daughter, and it just shows the massive amount of problems we have with his business holdings and his family's business holdings," Noble said Wednesday.
The rules on endorsements by public officials exempt the president and vice president.
The rules on endorsements by public officials exempt the president and vice president.
Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, defended the president's use of the @POTUS handle to discuss his daughter's business.
Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, defended the president's use of the @POTUS handle to discuss his daughter's business.
"This was less about his family's business and an attack on his daughter," he told reporters on Wednesday.
"This was less about his family's business and an attack on his daughter," he told reporters on Wednesday.
--CNNMoney's Cristina Alesci contributed to this report.
--CNNMoney's Cristina Alesci and CNN's Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report.