White House staff secretary resigns amid allegations of domestic abuse; decries ‘coordinated smear campaign’ – By Karen Travers, Jordyn Phelps, Cecilia Vega & John Santucci (abcnews,go.com) / Feb 7 2018
White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter resigned Wednesday in the wake of multiple allegations of domestic violence by his ex-wives who spoke on the record to The Daily Mail.
Press Secretary Sarah Sanders announced the resignation at the White House daily briefing. She said Porter’s departure would not be immediate but would come at a date to be determined.
ABC News does not yet have comment from Porter’s ex-wives, one of whom sought and received a restraining order against him in 2010, according to documents reviewed by ABC News.
Porter has denied the allegations, saying today in a statement that the new Daily Mail reports amount to a “coordinated smear campaign.”
“These outrageous allegations are simply false. I took the photos given to the media nearly 15 years ago and the reality behind them is nowhere close to what is being described. I have been transparent and truthful about these vile claims, but I will not further engage publicly with a coordinated smear campaign,” Porter said in a statement Sanders read from the podium.
“My commitment to public service speaks for itself. I have always put duty to country first and treated others with respect. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have served in the Trump Administration and will seek to ensure a smooth transition when I leave the White House,” Porter said in the statement.
Porter worked closely with Chief of Staff John Kelly to manage the flow of information to the president’s desk, the two serving as the final gatekeepers.
He played a key role in writing the State of the Union address that President Trump delivered last week and is frequently part of the small group of senior aides that travel with the president. Porter has been in a recent relationship with White House communications director Hope Hicks, the president’s longest serving aide.
Asked by ABC News whether the president was aware of the allegations against Porter and had any concerns, Sanders said she had not spoken with the president and declined to comment further.
PB/TK – Coordinated smear campaign by a few ex-wives is quite possible
