As former President Donald Trump's fourth and final press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany had the unenviable task of defending Trump-era policies, scandals, and missteps—often lying to do so.
After Trump was booted from the White House, McEnany took a job as a contributor for the Fox News network, where she continues to defend the Trump administration and slam the Biden administration.
Such was the case recently when McEnany accused current White House press secretary Jen Psaki of violating the Hatch Act, which prohibits civil servants in the Executive Branch from engaging in political activities such as campaigning, especially using government resources to do so. The President is exempt from the Hatch Act, as is the Vice President.
McEnany said the comments saying the administration believed in the agenda of Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe amounted to a Hatch Act violation.
Why does the media not hold @PressSec accountable for potential Hatch Act violations? She has twice advocated for p… https://t.co/uTrWSCCR7v— Kayleigh McEnany (@Kayleigh McEnany) 1634261427.0
McEnany said that there is "no problem engaging in political activity, but it must be done separately and apart from the podium."
This is rich coming from McEnany, who took part in a Trump campaign rally on the White House lawn just weeks before the 2020 election.
This is a truly stunning picture https://t.co/XSoQY4JIzL— John Bresnahan (@John Bresnahan) 1598583798.0
McEnany worked as both a Trump campaign adviser and as White House press secretary simultaneously. She defended Trump's election lies, claiming these weren't Hatch Act violations because she was working in her "personal capacity." McEnany also spoke at the Republican National Convention, a campaign event broadcast from the White House.
Hatch Act violations repeatedly characterized the Trump administration, though few—if any—officials were held accountable.
People were amazed at McEnany's hypocrisy.
The shamelessness, ah the shamelessness... https://t.co/Pc4WJ2qfna— Mehdi Hasan (@Mehdi Hasan) 1634264975.0
I am not a lawyer or a government ethicist, but setting aside the mind-boggling hypocrisy from this idiot, I really… https://t.co/drCmdd90g4— Gary Legum (@Gary Legum) 1634305027.0
They pointed out hers and the Trump administration's own Hatch Act violations.
YOU GUYS LITERALLY HELD THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION FROM THE WHITE HOUSE https://t.co/dIZNCUljOC— Zac Petkanas (@Zac Petkanas) 1634304090.0
Kayleigh McEnany literally served as a senior advisor to Trump's re-election campaign at the same time she was the… https://t.co/rVlr4ENbnj— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1634265295.0
I'm so old I remember one year ago, when Kayleigh was drawing a $183,000 taxpayer-financed salary to be Press Sec b… https://t.co/QVU9PiU4h0— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1634262075.0
Former spokesperson for the president who held a political convention at the White House weighs in on the Hatch Act https://t.co/pHq00V7Mw4— Lachlan Markay (@Lachlan Markay) 1634302554.0
Others said that, while the tweet was indeed maddening, the Biden administration should be more careful not to emulate the Trump administration's blatant Hatch Act violations.
Hypocrisy is the tribute vice pays to virtue. Doesn't mean she's wrong though. https://t.co/EJw6xrgjJK— Andrew Fleischman (@Andrew Fleischman) 1634297742.0
Everyone is right to scoff at McEnany's galactic level of absurd hypocrisy here, but we don't want the appalling be… https://t.co/IZgGsLxIDZ— Jacob T. Levy (@Jacob T. Levy) 1634297558.0