White House claims Conway 'inadvertently' endorsed Ivanka Trump's fashion line

Kellyanne Conway, senior adviser to President Donald Trump, watches during a meeting with parents and teachers, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (The Associated Press)

The White House's top ethics attorney said Wednesday that Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway "acted inadvertently" and "without nefarious motive" when she urged viewers to buy items from Ivanka Trump's fashion line during a Fox News interview.

Stefan Passantino, deputy counsel to the president on compliance and ethics, wrote in a letter to the Office of Government Ethics that he had met with Conway and resolved the matter.

Conway made the remarks in a Feb. 9 interview on "Fox & Friends," during which she reacted to reports that Nordstrom had pulled the Trump daughter's line from their stores.

"Go buy Ivanka’s stuff … It’s a wonderful line, I own some of it," Conway said while standing in the White House briefing room. "I’m going to give a free commercial here. Go buy it today, everybody. You can find it online."

Administration employees are subject to rules that prohibit them from using their official position to endorse products or services. The Office of Government Ethics recommended that the White House investigate Conway the following week.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said at the time that Conway had been "counseled" about her remarks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.