Tag: Rob Porter

Will truth win out? Rob Porter’s departure holds a key to effective journalism in the Trump era.

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

Rob Porter, left, with John Kelly. Amid domestic violence allegations, Porter resigned the same day a photo of his ex-wife’s beaten face surfaced. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

It never should have taken a photo of Colbie Holderness’s bruised eye to get Rob Porter out of the White House.

He shouldn’t have been there to begin with, as a top aide to President Trump, given the long-standing and credible charges of domestic abuse from Holderness, along with another of his ex-wives and his former girlfriend.

It’s outrageous, but that’s what it took.

Porter’s resignation — the very same day the photo of his ex-wife’s beaten face was made public by the Intercept — speaks volumes about how reality can prevail. Continue reading “Will truth win out? Rob Porter’s departure holds a key to effective journalism in the Trump era.”

Flake: White House saying it could have handled Porter allegations better an understatement B

The following article by Julia Manchester was posted on the Hill website February 11, 2018:

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said on Sunday it is an “understatement” to say the White House could have handled the abuse allegations against former staff secretary Rob Porter better.

“I think when the White House said they could have handled the situation better, that’s a bit of an understatement, yes. They could have done a lot better particularly with the Rob Porter situation,” Flake told NBC’s Chuck Todd on “Meet the Press.” Continue reading “Flake: White House saying it could have handled Porter allegations better an understatement B”

Trump Defends Rob Porter: ‘He … Says He’s Innocent’

The following article by John T. Bennett was posted on the Roll Call website February 9, 2018:

‘We hope he has a wonderful career,’ president says amid abuse scandal

Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

President Donald Trump on Friday praised former Staff Secretary Rob Porter, who left the White House Thursday amid a domestic abuse scandal involving allegations from two ex-wives.

“We wish him well, he worked very hard. We found out about it recently and I was surprised by it, but we certainly wish him well and it’s a tough time for him,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “He did a very good job when he was in the White House.”

Despite images handed over to media outlets from his first wife showing her with a black eye she says Porter gave her on their honeymoon in the early-2000s, the president said White House officials “hope he has a wonderful career and he will have a great career ahead of him.” Continue reading “Trump Defends Rob Porter: ‘He … Says He’s Innocent’”

Kelly offers account of Porter exit that some White House aides consider untrue

The following article by Philip Rucker and Josh Dawsey was posted on the Washington Post website February 9, 2018:

White House officials said Chief of Staff John F. Kelly told them to give information about staff secretary Rob Porter’s ouster that contradicts other reports. (Joyce Koh/The Washington Post)

White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly on Friday morning instructed senior staff to communicate a version of events about the departure of staff secretary Rob Porter that contradicts the Trump administration’s previous accounts, according to two senior officials.

During a staff meeting, Kelly told those in attendance to say he took action to remove Porter within 40 minutes of learning that abuse allegations from two ex-wives were credible, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because discussions in such meetings are supposed to be confidential. Continue reading “Kelly offers account of Porter exit that some White House aides consider untrue”

The Rob Porter debacle just became the Rob Porter scandal

The following article by Aaron Blake was posted on the Washington Post website February 9, 2018:

A senior administration official told POLITICO John Credit: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images

Update: And now we learn that, according to White House staff, Kelly tried to get aides to pass along a version of his actions that they consider to be untrue. Kelly reportedly wanted them to say he acted to remove Porter within 40 minutes of learning the abuse allegations against him were credible. As I argued, it’s the latest sign that Kelly is treading water.

White House spokesman Raj Shah wouldn’t elaborate Thursday on when Chief of Staff John F. Kelly and others became aware of allegations of spousal abuse by former staff secretary Rob Porter. And now we know why: It’s pretty damning. Continue reading “The Rob Porter debacle just became the Rob Porter scandal”

“He was F—ing Pissed”: With Rob Porter Gone, the Heat on John Kelly is Increasing

The following article by Gabriel Sherman was posted on the Vanity Fair website February 8, 2018:

Trump is not happy with the chaos; Jared and Ivanka are trying to right the ship; and even Hope Hicks, one of the president’s closest confidantes, is in trouble.

Ivanka Trump, John Kelly, and Jared Kushner look on as Donald Trump delivers remarks to reporters before a Cabinet meeting at the White House, January 10, 2018. Credit: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters.

A day after White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter resigned amid allegations he physically abused his ex-wives, the Trump administration is still struggling to contain the fallout. The question of who knew what, and when, is being hotly debated in the West Wing. Chief of Staff John Kelly, whose relationship with Trump has been strained in recent weeks, is taking the lion’s share of the blame, as I reported yesterday. On Wednesday night, Donald Trump vented to advisers that Kelly had not fully briefed him on Porter’s issues with women until recently, two sources told me. Trump was also not aware of the severity of the alleged abuse until yesterday, when Ivanka walked into the Oval Office and showed her father a photo published in the Daily Mail of Porter’s ex-wife with a black eye. “He was fucking pissed,” said one Republican briefed on the conversation. According to a source, Ivanka and Jared Kushner have been discussing possible chief-of-staff replacements. The problem is there’s not an obvious candidate waiting in the wings. Continue reading ““He was F—ing Pissed”: With Rob Porter Gone, the Heat on John Kelly is Increasing”

Top Trump Aides Are Said to Have Long Known About Abuse Accusations

The following article by Julie Hirschfeld Davis, Katie Rogers and Maggie Haberman was posted on the New York Times website February 8, 2018:

Rob Porter on Monday at Joint Base Andrews. He resigned from the White House on Wednesday. Credit: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

WASHINGTON — White House officials conceded Thursday that they regretted the way they handled accusations against Rob Porter, the staff secretary who resigned Wednesday after two former wives publicly accused him of abusing them. But they refused to provide any information about when President Trump’s most senior advisers first learned about the episodes.

Mr. Porter abruptly departed the West Wing on Thursday afternoon, one day after John F. Kelly, the chief of staff, and other senior officials had issued statements defending him and said they would prefer that he remain in his post. Continue reading “Top Trump Aides Are Said to Have Long Known About Abuse Accusations”

The White House’s Rob Porter debacle is a sign of incompetence or hubris — or both

The following article by Aaron Blake was posted on the Washington Post website February 8, 2018:

Rob Porter’s ex-wife Jennie Willoughby told The Post in an interview that the White House aide was abusive during their marriage. (Dalton Bennett/The Washington Post)

“Rob Porter is a man of true integrity and honor, and I can’t say enough good things about him,” White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly said in an initial statement Tuesday about allegations that the top White House aide had abused an ex-wife.

By Wednesday afternoon, Porter resigned amid allegations that he had abused another ex-wife, who produced photographs of her black eye. And Kelly was suddenly “shocked.” Continue reading “The White House’s Rob Porter debacle is a sign of incompetence or hubris — or both”

Abuse Charges, Military Parade Put White House on Defensive

The following article by John T. Bennett was posted on the Roll Call website February 7, 2018:

Trump still has confidence in Staff Secretary Rob Porter despite ex-wives’ allegations

Donald Trump admires a military parade in Paris last year Credit: AFP

The White House moved one step closer to achieving its goal of a two-year budget deal that increases military spending, but was dogged Wednesday by questions about a possible military parade through the streets of Washington and a senior adviser accused of multiple assaults on ex-wives.

As Senate Republican and Democratic leaders announced a spending deal that includes several White House priorities, senior aides in the West Wing spent much of the day holed up in meetings about allegations Staff Secretary Rob Porter punched and kicked — and otherwise abused — his two ex-wives. Continue reading “Abuse Charges, Military Parade Put White House on Defensive”

In new statement, Kelly says he was ‘shocked’ by Porter allegations and condemns abuse

The following article by Drew Restuccia and Eliana Johnson was posted on the Politico website February 7, 2018:

More than 24 hours after issuing a statement defending staff secretary Rob Porter amid abuse allegations, White House chief of staff John Kelly said in a second statement that he was ‘shocked’ and condemned domestic abuse.

A senior administration official told POLITICO John Kelly (left) and other top White House officials were aware of the allegations against Rob Porter (right). Credit: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images

White House chief of staff John Kelly said late Wednesday that he was “shocked” by domestic abuse allegations against staff secretary Rob Porter — more than 24 hours after being quoted on the record defending Porter in an initial report.

“I was shocked by the new allegations released today against Rob Porter. There is no place for domestic violence in our society,” Kelly said in a statement issued after-hours by the White House.

Kelly continued, “I stand by my previous comments of the Rob Porter that I have come to know since becoming Chief of Staff, and believe every individual deserves the right to defend their reputation. I accepted his resignation earlier today, and will ensure a swift and orderly transition.” Continue reading “In new statement, Kelly says he was ‘shocked’ by Porter allegations and condemns abuse”