Trump says he won't fire advisor Conway over Hatch Act violations

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump said he won't fire White House counselor Kellyanne Conway after a federal watchdog agency recommended her removal for repeatedly violating a law limiting political activity by government workers.

Trump told "Fox & Friends" he was briefed on the Office of Special Counsel investigation Thursday and said "it looks to me like they're trying to take away her right of free speech and that's just not fair."

OSC, which is unrelated to special counsel Robert Mueller's office, said in a letter to Trump that Conway has been a "repeat offender" of the Hatch Act by disparaging Democratic presidential candidates while speaking in her official capacity during television interviews and on social media.

Trump said of Conway, "she's got to have a right of responding to questions."

--Associated Press