The former director of the Office of Government Ethics said on Saturday that White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders’s decision to tweet about being kicked out of a Virginia restaurant violated ethics laws.
Sanders was asked to leave the Red Hen restaurant in Lexington, Va., on Friday night, but confirmed the incident in a Saturday morning tweet.
“Last night I was told by the owner of Red Hen in Lexington, VA to leave because I work for [President Trump] and I politely left,” Sanders tweeted. “Her actions say far more about her than about me. I always do my best to treat people, including those I disagree with, respectfully and will continue to do so.”
Last night I was told by the owner of Red Hen in Lexington, VA to leave because I work for @POTUS and I politely left. Her actions say far more about her than about me. I always do my best to treat people, including those I disagree with, respectfully and will continue to do so
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) June 23, 2018
Walter Shaub, the federal government’s former top ethics watchdog, tweeted that Sanders’s response, which was made from her official White House account, was a clear violation of federal law.
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Sarah, I know you don’t care even a tiny little bit about the ethics rules, but using your official account for this is a clear violation of 5 CFR 2635.702(a). It’s the same as if an ATF agent pulled out his badge when a restaurant tried to throw him/her out. https://t.co/Fj6OfBAdew
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) June 23, 2018
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Sanders used her official govt account to condemn a private business for personal reasons. Seeks to coerce business by using her office to get public to pressure it. Violates endorsements ban too, which has an obvious corollary for discouraging patronage. Misuse reg covers both.
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) June 23, 2018
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Opening sentences of 5 CFR 2635.702 cover both; 702(a) gives example of coercion; 702(c) gives example of endorsement. Also 2635.101(b)(8) bars preferential treatment, with obvious corollary for singling out. She can lob attacks on her own time but not using her official position
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) June 23, 2018
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- Discussion
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Ex-government ethics chief: Sarah Sanders tweet about being kicked out of restaurant violates ethics laws https://t.co/Pc3mNuO6lb pic.twitter.com/NExGGAVz22
— The Hill (@thehill) June 24, 2018
Red Hen has a right to refuse service.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders has a right to complain.
Potential customers have a right to make their own decisions.
I have a right to try to persuade people to stop politicizing everything.
Freedom is easy to figure out-hard to execute.
— David French (@DavidAFrench) June 23, 2018
I'm torn about this. Usually, I'd say: Of course you serve her. It's polite, normal, makes you the better person, and it deprives them of one more story for their insane martyr complexes. On the other, I wouldn't have served Joe McCarthy or Roy Cohn, so why should she get a pass? https://t.co/xTWqK2eQ1y
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) June 24, 2018
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