The White House has defended Ivanka Trump by tweeting a photo of herself holding a can of Goya beans to drive a Hispanic-owned business that she says has been unfairly treated, arguing that she had “every right” to publicly express her support. .
Government watchers responded that President Donald Trump’s daughter and senior adviser have no right to violate ethical rules that prevent government officials from using their public office to support specific products or groups.
These groups contend that Ivanka Trump’s action also highlights broader concerns about how the president and those around him often blur the line between politics and government. The White House would be responsible for disciplining Ivanka Trump for any ethics violation, but decided not to do so in a similar case involving White House counselor Kellyanne Conway in 2017.
Goya became the target of a consumer boycott after CEO Robert Unanue praised the president at a Hispanic event at the White House on Thursday of last week.
Trump tweeted the next day about his “love” for Goya, and his daughter followed up Tuesday night tweeting a photo of her holding a can of Goya black beans with a caption that read: “If it’s Goya, it has to be well, “In English and Spanish.
Ivanka Trump
(@IvankaTrump)If it’s Goya, it has to be good.
If it’s Goya, it has to be good. pic.twitter.com/9tjVrfmo9zJuly 15, 2020
Almost immediately, government watchers and social media commentators accused Ivanka Trump of violating ethics rules, an issue that was not addressed in a White House statement blaming the media and culture for boycotting certain points of view.
“Only the media and the movement to cancel culture would criticize Ivanka for showing her personal support for a company that has been unfairly mocked, boycotted and ridiculed for supporting this administration, one that has consistently fought for the Hispanic community.” Carolina Hurley spokeswoman said.
“Ivanka is proud of this strong Hispanic-owned business with deep roots in the United States and has every right to express her personal support.”
Ivanka Trump sent the tweet from a personal Twitter account that serves the dual purpose of reporting her work on various White House initiatives.
Trump himself appeared to endorse his daughter on Wednesday by posting a photo to his Instagram account showing him in the Oval Office in front of various Goya products arranged on his desk. As president, Trump is exempt from many of the rules that federal workers must follow.
Walter Shaub, former head of the Government Ethics Office, said the president’s tweet and photo amounted to “an official campaign by the Trump administration to support Goya, making it clear that Ivanka’s tweet was a violation of misuse of position regulations. “
Shaub left the government in 2017 after clashing with the Trump administration over ethical rules.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew) said the rules were clear.
“Ethics rules for executive branch employees say you cannot use your official position to promote a private business,” said Noah Bookbinder, CEO of Crew. “It is quite clear that the context in which this came out is that Goya had supported the Trump administration and the Trump administration was supporting Goya.”
Craig Holman, the Capitol Hill lobbyist for Public Citizen, said the episode recalled a 2017 incident when, during a nationwide cable television interview, Conway urged Trump supporters to buy the clothing and accessories from Ivanka Trump after Nordstrom abandoned the fashion line. The White House later said Conway had been “advised” about her comments.
Holman argued that Ivanka Trump’s action was a minor mistake given the Conway incident. “They decided to violate federal law thinking it would benefit them politically,” he said. Trump seeks to improve his position with Latino voters ahead of the November election. He won the votes of approximately three in 10 Latino voters in 2016.
Trump often blurs the lines between politics and government.
Last year, Trump raised the idea of hosting a 2020 world leaders’ summit at his private for-profit golf club near Miami, but backed off after a bipartisan protest over the conflict of interest.
Separately Wednesday, Crew filed a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel against White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, alleging violations of the Hatch Act during recent television interviews. The law prohibits government officials from using their positions to influence political campaigns.
There were no immediate comments from the Office of the Special Adviser or from the White House.
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