White-Collar Crime

George Conway Makes Strong Case For Mansplaining

We really shouldn't be applauding this, but here we are.

By Joe Patrice on April 10, 2018

(Photo of Kellyanne Conway, George Conway, and their twins, via Kellyanne Conway’s Twitter feed)

This may seem like sacrilege on Equal Pay Day, but while professional women strive against every uphill battle in the workplace from wild pay inequity to potential partnership discrimination, events have conspired today to give mansplaining another anecdotal pass and set back the fight against it another rung.

The practice of men drowning out and demeaning their powerful female counterparts is arguably the most pervasive microaggression facing professional women. One would think the marriage of White House advisor Kellyanne Conway and Wachtell partner George Conway — a union bringing together two people each powerful in their own right — would be exactly the sort of relationship where the risk of mansplaining and the vigilance required against it would be at its most high.

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This morning, Donald Trump declared the attorney-client privilege dead. George Conway… disagrees:

That link takes you to the USAM, specifically 9-13.420, which states in relevant part:

There are occasions when effective law enforcement may require the issuance of a search warrant for the premises of an attorney who is a subject of an investigation, and who also is or may be engaged in the practice of law on behalf of clients. Because of the potential effects of this type of search on legitimate attorney-client relationships and because of the possibility that, during such a search, the government may encounter material protected by a legitimate claim of privilege, it is important that close control be exercised over this type of search.

Now George Conway is a high-profile, seasoned litigator. He actually possesses specialized knowledge in this arena that his wife doesn’t. And let’s be clear, no one is retweeting this little exchange because George Conway humiliated Trump — this tweet gets all its juice from the idea that George is shutting down Kellyanne by proxy. George Conway isn’t a public figure — he doesn’t need to be tweeting his thoughts on Trump’s latest ramblings. He’s putting himself out there where we all guffaw because we know, whether it’s his intention or not, that he’s publicly undermining his wife. We shouldn’t applaud that because — right or wrong — George’s approach ricochets off the implied gender dynamics here.

Also, George’s tweeting is absolutely a professional obstacle to Kellyanne. Can you imagine putting her on TV to spin this White House narrative now? She couldn’t get a sentence into her spiel before someone is going to ask her, “Well, your husband doesn’t think so” with all the baggage that statement carries.

And yet… aw hell. Someone from inside the circle has got to say the emperor has tiny hands, and it might as well be George Conway. Remember when he was going to be Solicitor General in this administration? That seems like ages ago now.

You win this round, mansplaining. We’ll just chalk this up to the exception that proves the rule.

HeadshotJoe Patrice is an editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news.