Trump's chief of staff admits errors in ex-aide's scandal

[rooster59]

Trump's chief of staff admits errors in ex-aide's scandal

By James Oliphant

 

White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter (L) reminds U.S. President Donald Trump he had a bill to sign after he departed quickly following remarks at his golf estate in Bedminster, New Jersey U.S., August 12, 2017. Picture taken August 12, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's Chief of Staff John Kelly on Friday conceded the White House could have better handled a scandal involving senior aide Rob Porter, who resigned last month after allegations by two ex-wives that he abused them.

 

"We didn't cover ourselves in glory in terms of how we handled that," Kelly told reporters, although he denied earlier reports that he had offered Trump his resignation.

 

Kelly was criticised for appearing to side with Porter when the abuse allegations first surfaced and again after the Federal Bureau of Investigation contradicted the White House's initial timeline of events.

 

The FBI said it completed an investigation into Porter’s background in the summer of 2017 as part of the security-clearance approval process and had sent those findings to the White House.

 

But Kelly insisted on Friday that he did not learn of the abuse allegations against the White House staff secretary until Feb. 6, when an allegation by one of the women was about to surface in media reports.

 

Kelly and other White House officials initially defended Porter, who has denied the allegations.

 

Kelly said on Friday he at first believed Porter was involved in no more than a "messy divorce" but that he made clear that Porter had no choice but to resign when he learned later on Feb. 6 that another former wife had accused Porter of physical abuse.

 

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders continued to defend Porter into the following day and initially said Porter did not resign until Feb. 7, something Kelly called a "mixup." Porter was seen working at the White House that day.

 

Porter, as White House staff secretary, helped Kelly manage the flow of information that reaches the president daily.

 

"He conducted himself as the ultimate gentleman. I never saw him mad or abusive in any way," Kelly said.

 

On Feb. 13, FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before Congress that the agency completed its background check of Porter in July 2017 and had sent material on Porter’s past to the White House as early as that March.

 

The FBI was asked to provide additional findings, which it sent to the White House in November and then again last month.

 

Still, Kelly said that "we had not reached endgame" in the case and that Porter's security clearance was pending until the abuse charges came to light.

 

"It was just a shock to us all," Kelly said.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-03-03

[sirineou]

 Trump Du Jour !

or as otherwise known another episode of "as the stomach turns"

also Hope Hicks , Porter's girlfriend and Trump's  closests aid , abruptly resigns, reason stated by Hicks 

" She told colleagues that she had accomplished what she felt she could with a job that made her one of the most powerful people in Washington, and that there would never be a perfect moment to leave. "    https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/28/politics/hope-hicks-analysis/index.html

so bizarre so bizarre.

Ohh. sorry , I forgot about Kelly. so hard to keep all the players straight in this sitcom.

PS: it could use a laugh track 

 

Edited March 3, 2018 by sirineou

[mtls2005]

Shameful, shameful man. An embarrassment to the Marines and the Country. Can't see him lasting much longer, but given that McMaster and Cohn are next out the door it might a few months more.

 

Defiant John Kelly continues to misrepresent his handling of Rob Porter scandal

 

(CNN)White House chief of staff John Kelly continued to misrepresent his handling of the dismissal of former top aide Rob Porter on Friday, defiantly obfuscating on exactly what he knew -- and when -- about the extent of the abuse allegations against Porter's two ex-wives. In some instances, Kelly even directly contradicted some of the White House's public statements delivered last month.

 

In a rare gathering with reporters in his White House office, Kelly mostly defended his own conduct and insisted that he never considered resigning over the fallout. Porter's two ex-wives accused President Donald Trump's former staff secretary of years of relentless verbal, emotional and physical domestic abuse -- all of which Porter denied.

 

Even sources inside the White House were befuddled by Kelly's latest explanation. One source with knowledge of the situation told CNN that people inside the White House were stunned by Kelly's reflections on the Porter saga, stating flatly that the chief of staff was not telling the truth. Another said staffers were "puzzled" by his comments.

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/02/politics/john-kelly-rob-porter-abuse/index.html

[sirineou]

2 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Shameful, shameful man. An embarrassment to the Marines and the Country. Can't see him lasting much longer, but given that McMaster and Cohn are next out the door it might a few months more.

 

Defiant John Kelly continues to misrepresent his handling of Rob Porter scandal

 

(CNN)White House chief of staff John Kelly continued to misrepresent his handling of the dismissal of former top aide Rob Porter on Friday, defiantly obfuscating on exactly what he knew -- and when -- about the extent of the abuse allegations against Porter's two ex-wives. In some instances, Kelly even directly contradicted some of the White House's public statements delivered last month.

 

In a rare gathering with reporters in his White House office, Kelly mostly defended his own conduct and insisted that he never considered resigning over the fallout. Porter's two ex-wives accused President Donald Trump's former staff secretary of years of relentless verbal, emotional and physical domestic abuse -- all of which Porter denied.

 

Even sources inside the White House were befuddled by Kelly's latest explanation. One source with knowledge of the situation told CNN that people inside the White House were stunned by Kelly's reflections on the Porter saga, stating flatly that the chief of staff was not telling the truth. Another said staffers were "puzzled" by his comments.

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/02/politics/john-kelly-rob-porter-abuse/index.html

I believe Kelly is a good man found in a bad situation.It's a difunctional administration that causes good people to do bad things.You know what they say about laying with dogs.

The problem is that as people resign, who in their right minds would want to replace them in this menagerie  

 

, 

[boomerangutang]

Trump brings out the worst in people - who are tainted by being around him.

People around Trump are compelled to lie, daily.  They probably mumble lies in their sleep, and when they look at their bloodshot eyes in the bathroom mirror, when brushing their teeth.

 

And yes, as another poster alluded to:  Where are replacements coming from?  The WH could see about getting Bernie Maddoff released from prison - to replace Kelly when he inevitably (probably within days) gets kicked out the back door, ....but Madoff is too honest for the job, and probably won't shower Trump with praises ("yes sir, you do have the biggest red button!" "Absolutely sir, you are a stable genius"). 

 

There's Guilliani who, for anyone reading between the lines, very likely cajoled Comey into releasing the HRC campaign-destroying pap smear, 9 days before the election.  

[ilostmypassword]

1 hour ago, sirineou said:

I believe Kelly is a good man found in a bad situation.It's a difunctional administration that causes good people to do bad things.You know what they say about laying with dogs.

The problem is that as people resign, who in their right minds would want to replace them in this menagerie  

 

, 

A good man? He also slandered 

 

John Kelly refuses to apologize for false attacks on Rep. Frederica Wilson

"White House chief of staff John Kelly said Monday he would not apologize for the false attacks he leveled against Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., earlier this month when he sought to defend President Donald Trump for his handling of a condolence call to the widow of a fallen soldier.

On Oct. 19, in a rare appearance at the White House press briefing, Kelly attacked Wilson as an "empty barrel" and accused her of grandstanding at a public event two years ago in Florida by taking credit for securing federal funding for a new building.

Video of the event soon released by the Florida Sun Sentinel showed Wilson did no such thing."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-john-kelly-frederica-wilson-false-attacks-20171030-story.html

 

[klauskunkel]

President Trump on Rob Porter: "Rob is an excellent man, he is great and irreplaceable. He once reminded me I had a bill to sign, must have a picture of that somewhere..."

[mtls2005]

"It was just a shock to us all," Kelly said.

 

Yeah, right.

 

 

[TGIR]

Dear CNN............I'm sure if you tried you could find a few minutes a day to talk about something other than Trump or things related to Trump.  I am so sick of having to listen to all the BS spewed by CNN.......CBS....USA Today....MSNBC.....most of Hollywood..... all the late night talk shows.....all the daytime talk shows Ad Nauseum !!

 

 

[ilostmypassword]

2 minutes ago, TGIR said:

Dear CNN............I'm sure if you tried you could find a few minutes a day to talk about something other than Trump or things related to Trump.  I am so sick of having to listen to all the BS spewed by CNN.......CBS....USA Today....MSNBC.....most of Hollywood..... all the late night talk shows.....all the daytime talk shows Ad Nauseum !!

 

 

I've got good news for you. You don't actually have to listen to or watch CNN. As far as I'm aware it's not mandatory. Please stop before you do yourself some serious psychological harm.

[Thaidream]

Oh I don't think its CNN' CBS' the late night talk shows etc that are the cause of it all.  you might direct you angst at Donald Trump who daily provides enough fodder and BS to take up the whole 24 hour news cycle. I can't wait to watch when Mueller indicts Ivanka and Jared and then comes calling on Trump himself.

[ilostmypassword]

9 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

Oh I don't think its CNN' CBS' the late night talk shows etc that are the cause of it all.  you might direct you angst at Donald Trump who daily provides enough fodder and BS to take up the whole 24 hour news cycle. I can't wait to watch when Mueller indicts Ivanka and Jared and then comes calling on Trump himself.

Or he could just watch Fox News. Apparently, he doesn't know that it exists.

[mtls2005]

1 hour ago, TGIR said:

Dear CNN............I'm sure if you tried you could find a few minutes a day to talk about something other than Trump or things related to Trump.  I am so sick of having to listen to all the BS spewed by CNN.......CBS....USA Today....MSNBC.....most of Hollywood..... all the late night talk shows.....all the daytime talk shows Ad Nauseum !!

 

 

 

A man goes to a doctor, says,

 

"Doctor, it hurts when I do this."

 

Doctor says,

 

"Don't do that."

 

Stop watching TV which makes you ill, and don't call me in the morning.

 

 

 

 

[spidermike007]

"We didn't cover ourselves in glory in terms of how we handled that," Kelly told reporters, although he denied earlier reports that he had offered Trump his resignation.

 

There is nothing glorious about working for a circus huckster charlatan misogynist who is running a reality TV show known as the Tiny Don show. And making a feeble and poor attempt to run the country on the side. He is the ultimate example of a man who does not wear his power lightly. The incompetency of the deflector in chief, and that of his entire cabinet is on display daily, to the entire world.

 

Though I stand 6'2", my equipment is small, and quite inferior for a man of my stature. Therefore, I have carried that insecurity, lack of self esteem, and lack of self love with me since I was a young man. Women have commented on my lack of prowess often. It is one of the reasons why I am such an incredible blowhard, and why I need to brag, and engage in bluster every time I open my foul mouth. As everyone knows, everything I say is false, so when I brag about things like my equipment, of course that is false too. Like my hands, everything else is small. I am constantly striving to make up for that in everything I do and say. 

 

Tiny DT. The art of moving America backwards, and lowering the quality of life for the average American. The art of I cannot make a deal to save my life. The art of losing talent in droves, and replacing them with sycophantic fools, devoid of talent or experience. The art of not having a diplomatic bone in his body, and destroying long held alliances, with hate, hubris and a horrible lack of intelligence, vision and talent.

•  

[sirineou]

5 hours ago, ilostmypassword said:

A good man? He also slandered 

 

John Kelly refuses to apologize for false attacks on Rep. Frederica Wilson

"White House chief of staff John Kelly said Monday he would not apologize for the false attacks he leveled against Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., earlier this month when he sought to defend President Donald Trump for his handling of a condolence call to the widow of a fallen soldier.

On Oct. 19, in a rare appearance at the White House press briefing, Kelly attacked Wilson as an "empty barrel" and accused her of grandstanding at a public event two years ago in Florida by taking credit for securing federal funding for a new building.

Video of the event soon released by the Florida Sun Sentinel showed Wilson did no such thing."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-john-kelly-frederica-wilson-false-attacks-20171030-story.html

 

 "

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Posted 7 hours ago

  7 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Shameful, shameful man. An embarrassment to the Marines and the Country. Can't see him lasting much longer, but given that McMaster and Cohn are next out the door it might a few months more.

 

Defiant John Kelly continues to misrepresent his handling of Rob Porter scandal

 

(CNN)White House chief of staff John Kelly continued to misrepresent his handling of the dismissal of former top aide Rob Porter on Friday, defiantly obfuscating on exactly what he knew -- and when -- about the extent of the abuse allegations against Porter's two ex-wives. In some instances, Kelly even directly contradicted some of the White House's public statements delivered last month.

 

In a rare gathering with reporters in his White House office, Kelly mostly defended his own conduct and insisted that he never considered resigning over the fallout. Porter's two ex-wives accused President Donald Trump's former staff secretary of years of relentless verbal, emotional and physical domestic abuse -- all of which Porter denied.

 

Even sources inside the White House were befuddled by Kelly's latest explanation. One source with knowledge of the situation told CNN that people inside the White House were stunned by Kelly's reflections on the Porter saga, stating flatly that the chief of staff was not telling the truth. Another said staffers were "puzzled" by his comments.

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/02/politics/john-kelly-rob-porter-abuse/index.html

I did not say he was a good man. This is what I said:

"I believe Kelly is a good man found in a bad situation.It's a difunctional administration that causes good people to do bad things.You know what they say about laying with dogs."

The operative phrase here being 

" causes good people to do bad things "

Kelly has lived an exemplary life, this is not an opinion , it is a fact.

What you are doing is posting , some of the bad things a good man do when they find themselves in bad situations, 

 why he would choose to associate himself with this sleazeball is  beyond me , but we all do things that at the time look to be a good idea, later on? 

Not so much.

  

[mtls2005]

16 minutes ago, sirineou said:

Kelly has lived an exemplary life, this is not an opinion , it is a fact.

 

Meh.

 

Two years ago, Kelly praised, by providing a character reference at a court marshall, a Marine colonel accused of sexually harassing two subordinates as a "superb Marine officer."

 

The Rob Porter scandal has exposed the real John Kelly

 

https://thinkprogress.org/porter-kelly-assault-984cdc71ea42/

 

Said officer was subsequently arrested on seven felony warrants of indecent liberties with a child.

 

Marine Colonel Who Retired in Disgrace Faces New Felony Charges

 

The former commander of the Marines' Wounded Warrior Regiment who spent two months in the brig last year after driving drunk to his own arraignment is behind bars again, this time as a civilian.

 

Todd Shane Tomko, 54, was arrested and lodged in the Adams County Jail in Quincy, Illinois Nov. 22 on outstanding warrants from the Virginia Beach Police Department, officials with the jail confirmed to Military.com. The Quincy Herald-Whig, which first published news of Tomko's arrest, reported that he was arrested on seven felony warrants of indecent liberties with a child.

 

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/11/27/marine-colonel-who-retired-disgrace-faces-new-felony-charges.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+militarydotcom%2Fmarinecorpsnews+%28Military.com+Marine+Corps+News%29

 

 

 

 

Who knows how many others he has enabled?

 

Edited March 3, 2018 by mtls2005

[smotherb]

7 hours ago, TGIR said:

Dear CNN............I'm sure if you tried you could find a few minutes a day to talk about something other than Trump or things related to Trump.  I am so sick of having to listen to all the BS spewed by CNN.......CBS....USA Today....MSNBC.....most of Hollywood..... all the late night talk shows.....all the daytime talk shows Ad Nauseum !!

 

 

Yeah, ain't it simply amazin'. All the bad things said about trump and his administration is Fake News, even though so many sources say bad things. As litigious as trump is; I have to wonder why has he not sued any of those "Fake News" originators for libel and/or slander? 

[Langsuan Man]

12 hours ago, smotherb said:

I have to wonder why has he not sued any of those "Fake News" originators for libel and/or slander? 

Probably due to this pesky little thing called the First Amendment to the US Constitution:

 

Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances

 

And unlike Thailand truth is an absolute defense against libel and /or slander 

[smotherb]

1 hour ago, Langsuan Man said:

Probably due to this pesky little thing called the First Amendment to the US Constitution:

 

Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances

 

And unlike Thailand truth is an absolute defense against libel and /or slander 

Well now, is yours fake news or did you simply not understand?

 

"The 1964 Supreme Court case New York Times vs. Sullivan established that a public figure must prove that not only that a false statement was published it, but that it was done with “actual malice.”"   Trump has accused even his own appointees of acting against him with malice

 

https://www.thebalance.com/defamation-slander-and-libel-101-the-basics-2295256

 

For your edification:

mal·ice

ˈmaləs/

noun

noun: malice

1. the intention or desire to do evil; ill will.

   "I bear no malice toward anybody"

   synonyms:

   spite, malevolence, ill will, vindictiveness, vengefulness, revenge, malignity, evil intentions, animus, enmity, rancor; More informalbitchiness, cattiness; literarymaleficence "she had intended no malice toward him"

   antonyms:

   benevolence

   • Law

     wrongful intention, especially as increasing the guilt of certain offenses.