History of Kellyanne Conway in Timeline
Kellyanne Conway is an American political consultant and pollster known for her role as Senior Counselor to President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2020. Notably, she served as Trump's campaign manager in 2016, becoming the first woman to successfully manage a winning U.S. presidential campaign. Conway's career includes experience as a Republican strategist and leadership positions such as president and CEO of the Polling Company/WomanTrend.
1939: Hatch Act of 1939
Passed in 1939, the Hatch Act restricts federal government employees from engaging in certain political activities while representing their official roles. It is meant to prevent the misuse of federal authority for partisan purposes.
1939: Passage of the Hatch Act
The Hatch Act of 1939, which limits the political activities of federal employees, was enacted.
January 20, 1967: Birth of Kellyanne Conway
On January 20, 1967, Kellyanne Elizabeth Fitzpatrick, later known as Kellyanne Conway, was born in Camden, New Jersey.
1985: Conway Graduates High School
Kellyanne Conway graduated as valedictorian from St. Joseph High School in 1985.
1992: Report Identifies Conway's Grandfather as Mob Associate
A 1992 New Jersey Organized Crime Commission report named Jimmy "The Brute" DiNatale, Conway's grandfather, as an associate of the Philadelphia crime family.
1992: Conway Earns Law Degree and Clerks
Kellyanne Conway graduated with honors from George Washington University Law School with a Juris Doctor in 1992 and then served as a judicial clerk for Judge Richard A. Levie.
1995: Conway Establishes the Polling Company
In 1995, Kellyanne Conway founded her own firm, the Polling Company, focusing on consumer trends, particularly those related to women.
1996: Conway Expresses Anti-Abortion Stance
In 1996, Kellyanne Conway publicly stated her anti-abortion stance, emphasizing her belief in the value of life from conception.
1998: George Conway Represents Paula Jones
In 1998, George Conway, Kellyanne Conway's husband, wrote the Supreme Court brief for Paula Jones during the Clinton impeachment.
2001: Conway Moves into Trump World Tower
Kellyanne Conway resided in Trump World Tower from 2001 to 2008, marking the beginning of her acquaintance with Donald Trump.
2004: Conway Receives "Crystal Ball" Award
Kellyanne Conway was honored with the Washington Post's "Crystal Ball" award for her accurate prediction of the 2004 election outcome.
2005: Conway Co-Authors Book on American Women
In 2005, Kellyanne Conway co-authored the book "What Women Really Want: How American Women Are Quietly Erasing Political, Racial, Class, and Religious Lines to Change the Way We Live" with Democratic pollster Celinda Lake.
2008: Conway Moves Out of Trump World Tower
In 2008, Kellyanne Conway moved out of Trump World Tower after residing there for seven years.
2008: Conway and Fred Thompson
Prior to her marriage to George Conway, Kellyanne Conway dated Fred Thompson, a senator and 2008 presidential candidate.
2011: Arrest of Iraqi Refugees in Bowling Green
In 2011, two Iraqi refugees were arrested in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Conway's later reference to a "Bowling Green massacre" was suggested to be related to this event, though no massacre took place.
2012: Conway Works on Political Campaigns
In 2012, Kellyanne Conway worked as a senior advisor for Newt Gingrich's unsuccessful presidential campaign and also for U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin.
2013: Conway Conducts Private Polls for Trump
Kellyanne Conway conducted private polls for Donald Trump in late 2013 when he was considering a run for governor of New York.
January 25, 2016: Conway Criticizes Trump's Campaign Style
On January 25, 2016, Kellyanne Conway publicly criticized Donald Trump's approach to his presidential campaign, referring to him as "a man who seems to be offending his way to the nomination."
June 2016: Conway Parts Ways with Cruz Campaign
Kellyanne Conway left Ted Cruz's presidential campaign in mid-June 2016 after his decision to suspend his run.
July 1, 2016: Trump Hires Conway as Senior Advisor
On July 1, 2016, Donald Trump brought Kellyanne Conway on board as a senior advisor for his presidential campaign. Her role was to advise Trump on strategies to better connect with female voters.
August 2016: Conway Becomes Trump's Campaign Manager
In August 2016, Kellyanne Conway was appointed as Donald Trump's campaign manager, marking a turning point in her career.
October 2016: SNL Starts Satirizing Conway
Beginning in October 2016, Saturday Night Live started featuring satirical portrayals of Kellyanne Conway, performed by cast member Kate McKinnon.
November 10, 2016: Conway Offered White House Job
On November 10, 2016, Kellyanne Conway shared on Twitter that Donald Trump had offered her a position in the White House.
December 22, 2016: Conway Appointed Counselor to the President
On December 22, 2016, Donald Trump announced that Kellyanne Conway would join his administration as Counselor to the President.
2016: Conway Participates in Harvard Kennedy School Forum
In 2016, Kellyanne Conway, alongside other senior aides of the Trump campaign, participated in a forum held at the Harvard Kennedy School. The forum focused on the 2016 presidential race, and Conway engaged in a heated exchange with senior aides from the Clinton campaign.
January 2017: Conway Acknowledges SNL Parody
In January 2017, Kellyanne Conway publicly acknowledged the Saturday Night Live parodies of her, suggesting that Kate McKinnon's portrayal indicated her significance in the political landscape.
February 2, 2017: Conway Refers to "Bowling Green Massacre"
During a television interview on February 2, 2017, Kellyanne Conway used the term "Bowling Green massacre" to justify President Trump's immigration ban, referring to an event that did not occur.
February 5, 2017: Calls for Conway to Be Dropped from News Shows
On February 5, 2017, following a series of inaccurate statements from Kellyanne Conway, journalism professor Jay Rosen argued that news organizations should stop inviting her as a guest. CNN chose not to feature Conway that day due to concerns about her credibility.
February 9, 2017: Conway Promotes Ivanka Trump's Products
On February 9, 2017, during a Fox & Friends appearance, Kellyanne Conway encouraged viewers to purchase Ivanka Trump's products. This action led to ethics complaints alleging a violation of federal law prohibiting the use of a federal position for endorsing products.
February 13, 2017: Inaccurate Statements about Michael Flynn
On February 13, 2017, Kellyanne Conway publicly stated that former national security advisor Michael Flynn had the president's full confidence. Hours later, Flynn resigned. Conway's comments about Flynn sparked controversy and raised questions about her credibility.
February 15, 2017: Banned from Morning Joe
On February 15, 2017, MSNBC's "Morning Joe" banned Kellyanne Conway from future appearances, citing concerns about her credibility and accuracy. This followed widespread criticism of Conway's inaccurate statements regarding Michael Flynn.
February 2017: Morning Joe "Bans" Conway
In February 2017, MSNBC's "Morning Joe" publicly banned Kellyanne Conway as part of their ongoing feud with Donald Trump.
September 2017: Conway Gives Up Secret Service Protection
Kellyanne Conway relinquished her Secret Service protection in September 2017, citing a decrease in threats as the reason.
November 24, 2017: Shaub Files Ethics Complaint Against Conway
Former OGE director Walter Shaub filed an ethics complaint against Kellyanne Conway on November 24, 2017, alleging Hatch Act violations stemming from her criticisms of Doug Jones, a candidate in Alabama's special Senate election.
November 29, 2017: Conway to Oversee Opioid Epidemic Efforts
On November 29, 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions revealed that Kellyanne Conway would lead the White House's initiatives to combat the opioid overdose epidemic.
December 2017: Conway's Hatch Act Violations Continue
Kellyanne Conway continued to make statements on television in December 2017 that were later identified as violations of the Hatch Act by the US Office of Special Counsel.
2017: Conway Speaks at March for Life Rally
In 2017, Kellyanne Conway spoke at the March for Life, an annual rally protesting abortion and Roe v. Wade.
2017: Conway Serves as Senior Counselor to President Trump
Kellyanne Conway served as Senior Counselor to President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2020, a significant period in her political career.
March 6, 2018: OSC Concludes Conway Violated Hatch Act
On March 6, 2018, the US Office of Special Counsel (OSC) released its report, concluding that Kellyanne Conway violated the Hatch Act during two television interviews in November and December of 2017. The report pointed to Conway's criticisms of Doug Jones, a candidate in Alabama's special Senate election, as evidence of these violations.
September 2018: Conway Reveals Sexual Assault
In September 2018, Kellyanne Conway revealed that she had been the victim of a sexual assault.
2018: OSC Issues Multiple Reports on Conway
By 2018, the OSC had found it necessary to issue multiple reports concerning Kellyanne Conway's violations of the Hatch Act. This unprecedented action highlighted the repeated nature of her violations and the seriousness with which the OSC viewed her conduct.
2018: First Hatch Act Violation
In 2018, Kellyanne Conway was found guilty of two Hatch Act violations.
March 2019: Public Feud with Donald Trump
In March 2019, a public feud erupted between Donald Trump and George Conway, with Trump criticizing Conway on Twitter. Kellyanne Conway defended Trump, further highlighting the tensions within the family.
May 2019: Conway Defiant Amid Hatch Act Concerns
In May 2019, despite ongoing scrutiny and potential Hatch Act violations, Kellyanne Conway remained defiant, stating that attempts to silence her through the Hatch Act would be futile.
May 2019: Conway's Ongoing Hatch Act Violations
The OSC, in its June 13, 2019, report, noted that Kellyanne Conway's violations of the Hatch Act were ongoing, extending from February to May 2019. These violations involved her criticisms of various Democratic presidential candidates.
June 13, 2019: OSC Recommends Conway's Removal
On June 13, 2019, the OSC made a formal recommendation to remove Kellyanne Conway from federal service, citing multiple Hatch Act violations. They specifically highlighted her disparaging remarks about Democratic presidential candidates from February to May 2019 while she held an official capacity.
June 2019: Special Counsel Recommends Conway's Termination
In June 2019, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel advised the termination of Kellyanne Conway due to multiple violations of the Hatch Act of 1939.
June 26, 2019: Conway Subpoenaed by House Committee
On June 26, 2019, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform issued a subpoena for Kellyanne Conway after she failed to appear at a hearing. At the hearing, Special Counsel Henry Kerner testified that Conway had committed multiple Hatch Act violations.
September 2019: Family Connection to the Trump Administration
In September 2019, Kellyanne Conway's cousin, Giovanna Coia, married John Pence, Vice President Mike Pence's nephew. This marriage further intertwined the Conway family with the Trump administration.
December 2019: George Conway Co-Founds the Lincoln Project
In December 2019, George Conway co-founded the Lincoln Project, a political action committee formed by Republicans opposed to Donald Trump's re-election.
July 2020: Claudia Conway Speaks Out Against Parents' Marriage
In July 2020, Claudia Conway publicly stated that her parents' marriage had "failed," further exposing the family's internal conflicts.
August 2020: Conway Exits the Trump Administration
Following months of public disputes with her daughter, Kellyanne Conway left the Trump administration in August 2020.
August 2020: Claudia Conway Seeks Emancipation
In August 2020, Claudia Conway announced that she was seeking emancipation from her parents.
August 23, 2020: Conway Resigns from White House
On August 23, 2020, Kellyanne Conway announced her resignation from her position in the White House, citing a desire to spend more time with her family. This decision followed a period of intense public scrutiny and family conflicts.
2020: Conway Departs from Trump Administration
In 2020, Kellyanne Conway concluded her tenure as Senior Counselor to President Trump.
2020: John Pence Works for Trump Campaign
John Pence, Kellyanne Conway's cousin-in-law, worked for the Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign.
January 2021: Claudia Conway Alleges Abuse
In January 2021, Claudia Conway accused her mother, Kellyanne Conway, of physical, mental, and emotional abuse. She posted videos on TikTok that appeared to show Kellyanne screaming at her and, in one instance, hitting her.
January 25, 2021: Kellyanne Conway Posts Inappropriate Photo of Daughter
On January 25, 2021, Kellyanne Conway's official Twitter account shared a topless photo of her daughter, Claudia Conway. This incident sparked a police investigation and further strained the relationship between Kellyanne and her daughter.
2022: Conway Publishes Memoir
In 2022, Kellyanne Conway published her memoir, "Here's the Deal: A Memoir," providing her perspective on her time in the White House and other aspects of her life.
2022: Conway Joins Fox News
Kellyanne Conway joined Fox News as a contributor in 2022.
March 2023: Conway's Divorce
In March 2023, Kellyanne Conway and her husband, George Conway, announced their divorce after 22 years of marriage. The couple's separation followed years of public disagreements and political clashes.
July 2024: Conway to Host Fox Nation Show
In July 2024, Fox News revealed that Kellyanne Conway would host "Here's The Deal with Kellyanne Conway," a weekly program on their streaming platform, Fox Nation.
