Presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway has hired longtime congressional staffer Renee Hudson as her chief of staff, bringing in an aide well-versed in handling controversy and with deep ties in Republican politics.
Friday night, Conway confirmed in an email she'd hired Hudson, who plans to start working with her next week, reports The Washington Post.
Hudson is heading to the West Wing from the office of Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Indiana, where she has been serving as the congressman's chief of staff. She has also served as chief of staff for Reps. Mark Souder, R-Indiana, and Ben Quaye, R-Arizona.
She is also used to working for controversial figures after working for Souder. Her eight years in his office ended when he was discovered having an affair with a staff worker from his home district, and he resigned in 2010 on Hudson's wedding day to Rep. Richard Hudson, who was at that time still the chief of staff to Rep. Mike Conaway R-Texas. reports The Post.
Her husband is described as a well-liked lawmaker and an ally to Speaker Paul Ryan and other GOP leaders.
Conway, one of Trump's more visible staff members, is not only Trump's counselor but one of his more prominent spokespeople. She is a pollster by training, but holds responsibility for veterans' and healthcare issues after serving as Trump's campaign manager.
In recent weeks, however, Conway has had some difficulties publicly, including coming under fire for promoting Ivanka Trump's design line during a live Fox News interview.
She has also been lampooned for several public comments, including referrals to a non-existent Bowling Green "massacre" and for terming statements from Press Secretary Sean Spicer as "alternative facts," both statements she later clarified.
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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