Tag: Porter scandal

Why the White House timeline on Rob Porter’s clearance is questionable

The following article by Philip Bump was posted on the Washington Post website February 14, 2018:

White House staff secretary Rob Porter, who resigned last week, hands President Trump a confirmation order for Jim Mattis as defense secretary, on Jan. 20, 2017. Credit: Evan Vucci/AP

For the entire time Rob Porter worked in the White House — as staff secretary to President Trump, meaning he was responsible for managing documents going to and from the president — he was operating under interim security clearance. That is not uncommon for new arrivals at a government agency: They get the job and interim clearance, fill out the lengthy SF-86 clearance application, talk to the FBI for a background check and wait for permanent clearance to be granted.

What is uncommon in Porter’s case is twofold. First, that he operated under interim clearance for as long as he did. Second, that someone at the White House clearly knew about the spousal abuse accusations for months before they led to Porter’s resignation — yet he never lost even that interim clearance. Continue reading “Why the White House timeline on Rob Porter’s clearance is questionable”

Gowdy Launches Oversight Investigation Into Rob Porter Scandal

The following article by Griffin Connolly was posted on the Roll Call website February 14, 2018:

‘How in the hell was he still employed?’ House Oversight Committee chairman asks

Rep Gowdy, R-SC, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, launched an investigation into the Rob Porter scandal Tuesday evening. Credit: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has launched an investigation into the White House’s handling of senior aide Rob Porter, who was not issued a permanent security clearance due to allegations of domestic abuse by his two ex-wives.

“Who knew what, when, and to what extent? Those are the questions that I think ought to be asked,” the committee’s chairman, Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, said Wednesday on CNN. Continue reading “Gowdy Launches Oversight Investigation Into Rob Porter Scandal”

Sarah Sanders is at her worst at a strange time — when she’s talking about respect for women

The following column by Margaret Sullivan was posted on the Washington Post website February 13, 2018:

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Feb. 12 that President Trump “hopes for the best for all American citizens.” (Reuters)

She dripped disdain.

She oozed contempt.

“If you were paying attention to what I just read to you . . .” she huffed, like an exasperated teacher reprimanding a classroom troublemaker. Continue reading “Sarah Sanders is at her worst at a strange time — when she’s talking about respect for women”

A Whirlwind Envelops the White House, and the Revolving Door Spins

The following article by Peter Baker was posted on the New York Times website February 12, 2018:

The Trump White House has had a higher turnover rate than any White House in decades. Credit: Tom Brenner/The New York Times

WASHINGTON — The doors at the White House have been swinging a lot lately. A deputy chief of staff moved on. A speechwriter resigned. The associate attorney general stepped down. The chief of staff offered to quit. And that was just Friday.

All of that came after the departure of Rob Porter, the White House staff secretary who cleared out his office last week amid accusations of spousal abuse. The White House had overlooked reported problems with his security clearance last year in part, officials said, because of a reluctance to lose yet another senior aide, particularly one seen as so professional and reliable.

More than a year into his administration, President Trump is presiding over a staff in turmoil, one with a 34 percent turnover rate, higher than any White House in decades. He has struggled to fill openings, unwilling to hire Republicans he considers disloyal and unable to entice Republicans who consider him unstable. Those who do come to work for him often do not last long, burning out from a volatile, sometimes cutthroat environment exacerbated by tweets and subpoenas. Continue reading “A Whirlwind Envelops the White House, and the Revolving Door Spins”

A hypothesis: When Trump speaks of women, he’s thinking of men

The following article by Avi Selk was posted on the Washington Post website February 11, 2018:

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump appeared with women who had accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct. Back when he was friends with the Clintons, Trump had disparaged some of the same women. (Mike Segar/Reuters)

As a seemingly endless string of sexual misconduct and domestic abuse allegations bring down people near the center of U.S. politics and culture, some have noticed an apparent pattern in President Trump’s responses to selected scandals.

We could even state it as a hypothesis:

Whether Donald Trump believes a woman’s claim of sexual misconduct depends on his relationship to the accused man.

So let’s test it. Continue reading “A hypothesis: When Trump speaks of women, he’s thinking of men”