Rubio Issues Ethics Reminder Following Guilfoyle's Resignation

<figure><img alt="Kimberly Guilfoyle’s abrupt exit from the Trump administration triggered a word of caution from her former boss. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reminded State Department employees of ethics rules after Guilfoyle was asked to step down as ambassador to Greece over bombshell allegations of improper—and possibly illegal—conduct in office. “As part of demonstrating our personal and professional integrity, I expect employees to avoid conflicts of interest in our work, to act impartially, and to avoid using our public offices for private gain,” Rubio said in Wednesday correspondence obtained by Bloomberg. The state secretary, 55, underscored the importance of the Hatch Act, a 1939 law that bars federal employees from partisan political activity, “and related regulations regarding when and how we can engage in political activity, none of which is permitted in the federal workplace.” “We each have a personal obligation to comply with our government ethics rules,” he said. Rubio did not explain why he sent the message and the State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Though Rubio made no mention of Guilfoyle, the correspondence was sent out just a day after the White House publicly asked her to resign in the messy aftermath of a Wall Street Journal exposé. The damning story included screenshots of Guilfoyle asking Trump donor Eric Deters to wire her $100,000 to pay off an American Express card. “It won’t show up anywhere if you wire money to American Express,” she wrote in messages reviewed by The Journal. “Please.” Deters never made the payment, citing concerns about his marriage. Guilfoyle was also accused of threatening foreign officials, giving lobbyists privileged access, and attempting to solicit payments in exchange for political influence. The Associated Press later reported that Rubio and President Donald Trump were “extremely pi—d off” by reports of Guilfoyle’s conduct. “Well, we’re looking at it,” Trump told reporters on Monday. “We’re not happy.” The White House asked Guilfoyle to step down during Katie Zacharia’s debut as press secretary on Tuesday. “We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign,” Zacharia told reporters. “She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well.” Guilfoyle, meanwhile, wrote in a lengthy statement on X that the allegations against her were “false” and she intended to “vigorously” defend her name. “Serving as the United States Ambassador to Greece has been the honor of a lifetime,” she said. “I will forever be grateful to President Donald J. Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for entrusting me with the extraordinary privilege of representing the greatest country in the history of the world.”" src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/NWQCT2G64JGXVEVGHEG3HAHFEY.JPG?auth=83909ce8413cedecc03d4bb6879758a7894e93c507e9da0bbef36b991001d4b8&amp;smart=true&amp;width=2571&amp;height=1446" /><figcaption>Louisa Gouliamaki / REUTERS</figcaption></figure><p>Kimberly Guilfoyle’s exit from the Trump administration prompted Secretary of State Marco Rubio to remind State Department employees of ethics rules. Guilfoyle was asked to resign as ambassador to Greece due to allegations of improper conduct.</p><p>Rubio stated in a correspondence obtained by Bloomberg, “As part of demonstrating our personal and professional integrity, I expect employees to avoid conflicts of interest in our work, to act impartially, and to avoid using our public offices for private gain.” He emphasized the importance of the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity, and related regulations regarding political engagement in the federal workplace.</p><p>Rubio did not specify the reason for his message, and the State Department did not respond to a request for comment. His correspondence followed the White House's request for Guilfoyle to resign, which was made public after a Wall Street Journal report revealed allegations against her.</p><p>The report included screenshots of Guilfoyle requesting Trump donor Eric Deters to wire her $100,000 to pay off an American Express card, stating, “It won’t show up anywhere if you wire money to American Express.” Deters did not proceed with the payment due to personal concerns.</p><p>Guilfoyle faced accusations of threatening foreign officials, granting lobbyists privileged access, and soliciting payments for political influence. The Associated Press reported that Rubio and President Trump were displeased with the allegations against Guilfoyle. Trump commented, “Well, we’re looking at it. We’re not happy.”</p><p>The White House announced Guilfoyle's resignation during Katie Zacharia’s first briefing as press secretary, with Zacharia stating, “We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign. She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well.”</p><p>In response, Guilfoyle issued a statement on X, claiming the allegations were “false” and that she would “vigorously” defend her name. She expressed gratitude for her role, stating, “Serving as the United States Ambassador to Greece has been the honor of a lifetime.”</p>