Tag: spousal abuse

Second White House official departs amid abuse allegations, which he denies

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

White House confirmed that speechwriter David Sorensen has resigned, becoming the second aide to leave the administration this week amid allegations. (Reuters)

A White House speechwriter resigned Friday after his former wife claimed that he was violent and emotionally abusive during their turbulent 2½ -year marriage — allegations that he vehemently denied, saying she was the one who victimized him.

The abrupt departure of David Sorensen, a speechwriter who worked under senior policy adviser Stephen Miller, came as The Washington Post was reporting on a story about abuse claims by his ex-wife, Jessica Corbett. Corbett told The Post that she described his behavior to the FBI last fall as the bureau was conducting a background check of Sorensen. Continue reading “Second White House official departs amid abuse allegations, which he denies”

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”

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”

Rob Porter, White House Aide, Resigns After Accusations of Abuse

The following article by Maggie Haberman and Katie Roger was posted on the New York Times website February 7, 2018:

Rob Porter, the White House staff secretary, left, with Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to President Trump, on Monday in Washington. Credit Pete Marovich, The New York Times

WASHINGTON — As the White House staff secretary, Rob Porter is not a public figure, but he is responsible for paper flow to the president, a job of crucial importance in the Trump administration. He frequently travels with President Trump on Air Force One, and he helped write Mr. Trump’s first State of the Union address last month.

But despite initial support from John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff, and other West Wing staff aides, Mr. Porter announced his resignation on Wednesday, a day after his two former wives accused him in interviews of physical abuse when they were married to him.

His troubles were not a complete secret at the White House: Two people close to the White House said that the allegations against him made by his former wives, Colbie Holderness and Jennifer Willoughby, had contributed to a delay in granting him a permanent security clearance.

In a statement, Mr. Porter said that “these allegations are simply false,” even as details of the alleged abuse and photographs of one of his former wives with a black eye that she said he had given her were widely circulated. Continue reading “Rob Porter, White House Aide, Resigns After Accusations of Abuse”

White House aide Rob Porter resigns after allegations from ex-wives

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

Porter, a former chief of staff to Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, served as President Donald Trump’s staff secretary.

White House staff secretary Rob Porter, a mostly unknown but deeply influential aide who spends almost every day by President Donald Trump’s side, said Wednesday he plans to resign following abuse allegations from his ex-wives.

In a pair of reports published by the Daily Mail, Porter’s two ex-wives detailed episodes of alleged verbal and physical abuse. The Daily Mail published a copy of a protective order obtained by Porter’s second wife in 2010, and later published photographs of Porter’s first wife with a black eye she said came from Porter punching her. Continue reading “White House aide Rob Porter resigns after allegations from ex-wives”