The White House and FBI Director’s respective timelines and accounts regarding important information on the Rob Porter case do not align.
Although the White House has repeatedly claimed ignorance on the allegations against the White House aide Rob Porter, this morning, FBI Director Christopher Wray confirmed that the FBI had submitted background investigation on Porter in July 2017.
Today’s White House press briefing began with an expected diversion from the controversy at hand, with Press Secretary Sanders announcing that the latest cause for the donation of the President’s salary would be the Department of Transportation, in efforts to “modernize crumbling infrastructure”.
When question period finally rolled around, Sanders could scarcely dodge the many questions regarding the recent developments in the Porter case. She shared her noticeably prepared and well-rehearsed response that the documents would have been initially received by the White House Personnel Security Office. Sanders stated that the office had not yet finished their process and therefore had not made a recommendation to the White House. She clarified this by saying that the office may have received documents, presumably the documents FBI Director Wray was speaking about but had not yet relayed the necessary information to key WH staff members.
Sanders stated that the office had not yet finished their process and therefore had not made a recommendation to the White House. She clarified this by saying that the office may have received documents, presumably the documents FBI Director Wray was speaking about but had not yet relayed the necessary information to key WH staff members.
This response clearly not satisfying the press corps. Sanders was met with more scrutinizing questions regarding this alleged clarification of the contradicting timelines between the White House and FBI. Sanders further attempted to consolidate the argument that the Trump administration had been unbeknown to the Rob Porter allegations, she said that President Trump continues to support all victims of domestic violence.
Many have criticized President Trump for a tweet that appeared to be in support of Rob Porter:
“Peoples lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation,” Trump tweeted. “Some are true and some are false. Some are old and some are new. There is no recovery for someone falsely accused – life and career are gone. Is there no such thing any longer as Due Process?”
To further complicate matters, when Sanders was asked about White House Communications Director Hope Hicks’ potential involvement in the sharing of information on the case, considering she was in a relationship with Rob Porter at the time, Sanders simply said that, “she was not part of a lot of the conversations that took place”
Unfortunately, it appears as though Rob Porter, a man who was up for promotion despite allegations of abuse and domestic violence against his two ex-wives, had not been adequately reprimanded by the White House administration. When the highest institution in America dismisses allegations of this caliber and weight, the state of violence against women and assault culture in the rest of the country seems equally dreary.
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