Jake Tapper Grills Kellyanne Conway: What Law Did Op-Ed Author Break?

Two days after the Morning Joe crew wildly speculated that she might have been behind the anonymous op-ed in The New York Times, Kellyanne spent much of her sit-down with CNN’s Jake Tapper Sunday morning vigorously attacking the unnamed senior administration official who claimed to be part of a “resistance” against President Trump inside the White House.

“If this person really thinks that he or she is being patriotic and not pathetic, which is the way I view it, then they should come forward, because you would have given them this seat today,” Conway told Tapper on State of the Union. “If the motivation is what they say it is in that ridiculous op-ed, they failed miserably.” She said she believes the motivation was to “sow discord and create chaos.”

Tapper, who said he only gave the op-ed more attention once Vice President Mike Pence every cabinet member started to publicly deny writing it, pressed Conway to explain what basis there might be for a Justice Department investigation to identify the author, as Trump has suggested there should be.

“From what I understand, there can be an investigation if there is criminal activity,” Conway said. When Tapper said “there doesn’t appear to be any,” she replied, “I don’t know that and I don’t think you know that.” Asked again if she believes this person broke the law by criticizing the president, Conway said, “I have literally no idea, nor do you, what else this person has divulged.”

“I think this person is going to suss himself or herself out,” Conway predicted. “I think cowards are like criminals. Eventually they confess to the wrong person.”

Vice President Pence made a similar argument during his appearance on Fox News Sunday. Asked by host Chris Wallace what law the author broke, Pence said, “We’ll find out if there was criminal activity involved.”

“Political disloyalty is certainly troubling, but it’s not illegal,” Wallace replied.