White House staffer Rob Porter resigns amid abuse allegations

White House staff secretary Rob Porter resigned Wednesday following reports published in the Daily Mail that he abused two ex-wives.

One ex-wife, Colbie Holderness, alleged Porter had choked, punched and emotionally abused her during their five-year marriage. Holderness told her story to the Daily Mail, providing photos that featured her with a black eye.

Another ex-wife, Jennifer Willoughby, told the same publication that Porter verbally abused her on their 2009 honeymoon and once dragged her out of the shower.

Porter called the allegations "outrageous" and "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," Porter said in a statement. "I have been transparent and truthful about these vile claims, but I will not further engage publicly with a coordinated smear campaign."

Porter said his commitment to public service "speaks for itself."

According to the White House, Porter's resignation won't be immediate, and he stay on in the short term to insure a smooth transition.

The resignation "was a personal decision that Rob made," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said, adding that he was not pressured to do so.

As staff secretary, Porter is responsible for the flow of presidential paperwork around the West Wing and to the president’s desk. The job is an important gatekeeper to the Oval Office, ensuring that executive orders, decision memos, bills, nominations and other actions are thoroughly vetted before reaching the president.

But Porter has had a higher profile than previous staff secretaries, often accompanying President Trump on official travel.

The allegations have raised questions about Porter's ability to get a security clearance. Like all White House employees, Porter had to undergo an FBI background check. Sanders declined to comment on whether the allegations would affect Porter’s clearance

"Consistent with the practice of past administrations, issues related to an individual's suitability are reviewed through a thorough and lengthy background check process," she said. "Background checks involve a complex investigation run by intelligence and law enforcement agencies."

She added that the president and White House chief of staff John Kelly "have full confidence" in Porter's abilities and performance. But by late Wednesday, some of that confidence may have eroded.

"I was shocked by the new allegations released today against Rob Porter," Kelly said in a statement released Wednesday night. "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. I accepted his resignation earlier today, and will ensure a swift and orderly transition."

Kelly, who came in as chief of staff in late July, saw Porter as a valuable aide who helped re-organize White House operations, officials said. Kelly gave reporters positive statements about Porter as news stories broke earlier this week.

Before joining the White House, Porter served as chief of staff to Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

Holderness confirmed to the Intercept that she had spoken with the FBI about Porter.

Holderness told the Daily Mail she met Porter at a Mormon church in 2000, while they were both in college. They married three years later, while Porter was a Rhodes Scholar.

His abuse started on their honeymoon, she said.

"It was a really odd thing that he did. He was angry because we weren’t having sex when he wanted to have sex and he kicked me," she said. "It seems such a juvenile thing at the time, but I remember thinking about words my mother had told me when it happened."

From there, it escalated, and Porter allegedly choked and punched his wife. Holderness said she didn't go to the police because she didn't think she would be believed.

After Porter and Holderness divorced, Porter went on to date and marry Willoughby. They were married from 2009 to 2013.

She told the Daily Mail that Porter turned verbally abusive on their honeymoon.

"I can’t remember what triggered it," she said. "He lashed out and was really angry and both under his breath and explicitly to me called me a 'f***ing b***h' and 'f***ing ridiculous.' He accused me of not caring about him or his needs."

During their marriage, Willoughby filed a protective order against Porter.

Last year, Willoughby wrote a blog post about her experiences. She never names Porter in the post.

"Everyone loved him. People complimented all the time how lucky I was," she wrote. "But in my home, the abuse was insidious. The threats were personal. The terror was real. And yet I stayed."

She noted that she tried to get help, but was told how she would affect his career.

"And so I kept my mouth shut and stayed," she said.