Why did White House CoS John Kelly call a known wife-beater a ‘man of honor’?
February 8, 2018At this point, does anything surprise you about Donald Trump or the people who work for Trump? You could tell me that Trump employs a convicted child-killer and I would say “that sounds about right.” You could tell me that a White House deputy has been repeated accused of bestiality and I would think “Yep, I believe it.” So is it really that surprising or shocking that the Trump White House knowingly employed a man who physically assaulted two wives? This week, White House staff secretary Rob Porter resigned from his position following the Daily Mail’s revealing report that he had been denied permanent security clearance because of his ex-wives’ abuse claims. All of the senior staff of the White House knew about Porter months ago. And they still let him keep his job and travel with Trump and help write the State of the Union.
Senior aides to President Donald Trump knew for months about allegations of domestic abuse levied against top White House staffer Rob Porter by his ex-wives, even as Porter’s stock in the West Wing continued to rise, multiple sources told CNN on Wednesday. Porter denied the allegations but resigned on Wednesday.
A scramble ensued inside the West Wing to defend him when the claims became public this week, the sources said. That effort continues even after his resignation.
Porter’s ex-wives detailed the allegations to the FBI over the course of a routine background check, they told CNN’s MJ Lee on Wednesday. A year into the administration, Porter does not hold a security clearance. By early fall, it was widely known among Trump’s top aides — including chief of staff John Kelly — both that Porter was facing troubles in obtaining the clearance and that his ex-wives claimed he had abused them. No action was taken to remove him from the staff.
Instead, Kelly and others oversaw an elevation in Porter’s standing. He was one of a handful of aides who helped draft last week’s State of the Union address. He traveled instead of Kelly to the World Economic Forum in Davos last month. And he was one of a select group of aides who shook Chinese President Xi Jinping’s hand during a state visit to Beijing in November.
In a statement released Wednesday evening, Kelly said he was “shocked” by the “new allegations” against Porter. “There is no place for domestic violence in our society. 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,” Kelly said. “I accepted his resignation earlier today, and will ensure a swift and orderly transition.”
Colbie Holderness, Porter’s first wife, and Jennifer Willoughby, Porter’s second wife, both said their ex-husband’s consistent abuse was the reason for their respective divorces. Porter denied the allegations in a statement issued in the wake of his resignation. “These outrageous allegations are simply false,” Porter said in his statement. “I have been transparent and truthful about these vile claims, but I will not further engage publicly with a coordinated smear campaign.”
Porter was reportedly dating Hope Hicks, and Hicks is being blamed for “organizing” the White House defense of Porter shortly before he resigned. John Kelly released an effusive statement pre-resignation, and now people are like “wow, more evidence that John Kelly is the worst.” As Chief of Staff, John Kelly knew full well WHY the FBI couldn’t give Porter security clearance and Kelly still openly supported a wife-beater anyway, releasing a statement that Porter is “a man of true integrity and honor” and a “trusted professional.”
So while it’s vile that so many people in the White House were openly supporting a man who repeatedly punched, choked and abused two wives, the whole thing has boomeranged onto John Kelly. Vanity Fair’s sources say: “It’s beyond disbelief. Everyone is trying to figure out why Kelly is leading the charge to save him… How many times has Kelly put out a statement defending Trump?” The NYT’s editorial page is coming after Kelly too:
Photos courtesy of Getty.