Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The revolution will be supervised.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

Not all heroes wear capes.

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

Tick tock motherfuckers!

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.

Take your GOP plan out of the witness protection program.

Black Jesus loves a paper trail.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

You are here: Home / Politics / Trumpery / Dolt 45 / Repub Venality Open Thread: Another ‘Very Fine Person’ Leaves the Trump Administration

Repub Venality Open Thread: Another ‘Very Fine Person’ Leaves the Trump Administration

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No snark. There really is no bottom to the Trump Administration ethical trench.

…The official, Rob Porter, served as the staff secretary and often controlled the paper flow to President Trump’s desk, along with his daily schedule. Porter also oversaw the White House’s policy implementation process and worked closely with Chief of Staff John F. Kelly to try to instill discipline in the chaotic West Wing. He spent hours of the day with Trump and frequently traveled with him on Air Force One.

Porter’s first wife, Colbie Holderness, said in an interview with DailyMail.com that he was abusive during their marriage. She alleged he punched in her the face during a trip to Florence in the early 2000s and provided photos to the publication showing her with a black eye.

“He was verbally, emotionally and physically abusive, and that is why I left,” she told the news outlet.

In a statement, Porter denied the allegations…

It remains unclear when Porter will officially leave…

Before Trump announces he never even met the guy:

Imagine if it had been discovered that President Obama’s staff secretary — or even President Bill Clinton’s — couldn’t get a security clearance, because of an outstanding restraining order for domestic abuse?

Incidentally, turns out Porter was the mystery man at the back of this Internet-famous photo…

Reader Interactions

102Comments

  2. 2.

    dmsilev

    served as the staff secretary and often controlled the paper flow to President Trump’s desk

    Don’t laugh. Trump has relocated his desk to the bathroom, and well, would _you_ want the job of regulating the paper flow?

  3. 3.

    Trentrunner

    Fair enough, but voters?

    They don’t care about this stuff.

    The economy is strong, and if it stays strong, 2018 will not be the wave we hope for, and Trump will win again in 2020.

    We are overlooking how much the GOP, the corporatists, the neocons, the Bible-thumpers and all the rest have lined up behind Trump. He’s at 40% now, and it will rise as their propaganda begins to work on the tax cuts.

    If you thought Nov ’04 was painful, wait until 2018 and 2020.

    We are not seeing how successful they are at working the refs, muddying the waters, and generally using every available lever of power to shore up Trump and the GOP generally at every level of government.

    But we’ll always have academia and Hollywood, amirite?

  5. 5.

    lamh36

    REPOST: So @MSNBC and #ChuckTodd finally talking about Nancy Pelosi, but of course shapes as “Pelosi making history, and are the Republicans loving it?”. Yeah cause that is THE story FUQ the importance of her defending DACA & Dreamers

    so the narrative he wants to set is its that the midterms is a “contest between 2 boogie men…” Trump be Pelosi?????? FUQ U Chuckles

    I think she’ll stay until she makes it past the evening news mark

    @NBCNews
    45m45 minutes ago
    More
    UPDATE: House Minority Leader Pelosi’s speech on the House floor about DACA and Dreamers surpasses 7 hours
    https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/961360179060183041

    Someone on twitter said said La Blade (Stephanie Cutter) checked Chuckles in MTP for his Pelosi bullshit, i’m sorry I missed that.

  7. 7.

    Roger Moore

    There really is no bottom to the Trump Administration

    If some of those Stormy Daniels stories are true, it sounds as if Trump is the bottom. Does that mean Melanoma is a top?

  12. 12.

    geg6

    Much as it pains me to say it, I’m 100% with Tapper. Sickening. John Kelly is disgrace to the uniform and the nation. Adult in the room, my ass.

  14. 14.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    less than an hour ago

    rank Thorp V @ frankthorp
    HATCH says he spoke to Rob Porter at the WH today: “I told him he shouldn’t (resign)…he should fight his way through this, and he’s got a lot to give to the administration and to all of us.”
    Porter’s Response? “He didn’t give me a final decision, but I hope that he will stay”
    HATCH on Rob Porter: “I know Rob, he’s a very fine fellow and very good man, and it’s been a tremendous embarrassment to him. But he’s going to hang in there I think.”

    Hatch is, in the sententious lingo of the late Tim Russet, a man of faith

  15. 15.

    Mnemosyne

    @Trentrunner:

    Fair enough, but voters?

    They don’t care about this stuff.

    It must be sad to live on your planet where Virginia and Alabama and Missouri never happened. It sounds like a much bleaker place than the one the rest of us live on, and this one can be pretty bleak.

  17. 17.

    Corner Stone

    and often controlled the paper flow to President Trump’s desk, along with his daily schedule.

    Jeez, where can I apply for that job? Work four hours a day on Trump’s daily schedule? That’s money for nothing and apparently your Hicks for free.

  21. 21.

    Marcopolo

    @lamh36: Yeah, this will probably make me sound like an old killjoy but I would much much rather see a front page post with a livestream of Pelosi trying to shame Ryan into an open DACA vote and speaking now into an eighth hour than read another thread about how deplorable the Trump admin and all its lackeys are—which we all know. Proud of my party!

  24. 24.

    Fair Economist

    THREAD FOR NANCY! THREAD FOR NANCY!

    Seriously, *way* more important news than the info that another Trump employee resigned for wife abuse. That’s almost a “dog bites man” story. What do you expect? Their boss did it too.

  26. 26.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Marcopolo: Here, here. To be perfectly honest it’s not surprise and I doubt if this clown is the only wife beater in the Trump admin. They all have no pride or class.

  29. 29.

    Ladyraxterinok

    WH reaction: What’s the big deal? Porter didn’t abuse REAL people. They’re only women, claiming to be victims so they can get money and publicity.

    I just don’t understand how any women can ignore the contempt and disgust T feels for all women.

    He’s not in the Nazi Kinder, Kueche, Kirche camp. Like some despicable 60s guys, T thinks ‘the only position for women (in the movement) is prone.’

  30. 30.

    trollhattan

    “To ALL it may conzern, my two beutiful Sons are herebye Excused from anymore testifonials to mean mister Muler.”

    Trump Boys Forge Father’s Signature On Letters They Wrote Excusing Them From Any More Testifying.

    —Onion, of course.

  32. 32.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Any calls gone out to call R members of Congress during this speech? Asking them to support a floor vote on DACA?

  35. 35.

    zhena gogolia

    @geg6:

    Tapper doesn’t bother me as much as the others. I give him a pass since he once showed up in the comments here.

  37. 37.

    hueyplong

    Not sure this is the week to brag about the strength of the economy.

    After all, we’ve had an entire year of being told that the Dow is in fact the measure of its strength/weakness, and unlike Trentrunner, we can tell whether one number is larger than another.

  39. 39.

    Yutsano

    @geg6: Tapper on occasion gets things right. He’s still scum of the Village at the end of the day but every now and again he’s pretty good.

    But is he saying anything about Nonna Pelosi?

    @zhena gogolia: I think he still lurks here. Maybe. Plus he took our abuse and jabs in the comments well. It wouldn’t bug me if he came back.

  40. 40.

    Mary G

    @Fair Economist: @WaterGirl: Yes, thread for Nancy Smash! Now more than eight hours standing in heels reading Dreamers’ stories.

    Backwards, in high heels, with leftbros trying to primary her, and a buncha people continually speculating that [insert white man] woulda definitely beaten Trump. Women's political labor is completely taken for granted in this country, but we've got your back. #GoNancyGo— Fannie Wolfe (@fanniesroom) February 7, 2018

  42. 42.

    Cacti

    @trollhattan:

    USSC John Roberts, that John Roberts? How the fig does Nunes have the authoritah to do that?

    OTOH if that’s the kind of backhand slap Roberts requires to get himself back to “umpire” status then perhaps there’s a benefit?

    No, Congress can’t subpoena a sitting SCOTUS Justice.

    Co-equal branches and all.

  48. 48.

    Patricia Kayden

    @Trentrunner: Can we be optimistic given electoral victories in Missouri last night and Virginia and Alabama? I’m not ready to throw in the towel on November or 2020. Democrats are capable of fighting and winning.

  52. 52.

    lamh36

    I dont blame this young man one damn bit. Why should he meet with someone who, outside of his athletic abilty, thinks the life this young man leads is an abominabtion in need of “treatment”…FUQ Mike Pence!

    Openly gay figure skater Adam Rippon declined chance to speak with Vice President Pence https://usat.ly/2nPHLza via @usatoday

  53. 53.

    Fair Economist

    And now Nancy has finished. Can’t blame her, I could never have stood and talked continuously for 8 hours at any age. She is amazing.

  54. 54.

    NorthLeft12

    I found that photo interesting in that the three people who were “humiliatingly fired” committed the sin of incompetence or being a political liability, while the two guys who resigned after much delay were only guilty of violence towards women.

    Go figure.

  57. 57.

    jimmiraybob

    …How was he ever hired to work in the White House?

    Wasn’t Porter and Hope Hicks an item back in the day?

  59. 59.

    randy khan

    Sarah Huckabee Sanders tomorrow: “He was just a secretary. It’s not like he did anything important.”

  63. 63.

    Roger Moore

    @schrodingers_cat:

    It is sad when the vetting process for an immigrant visa aka the Green Card is more thorough than that required to work at the WH.

    I don’t know what you’re talking about. The vetting under the Trump administration is exactly the same:

    1) Are you white?

    If you answer yes, you’re good. If you answer no, you’d better know somebody or pay somebody off.

  64. 64.

    Fair Economist

    Just a thought on how much evil is involved in deporting the Dreamers. There are about 800,000. If you spent just one minute on each one’s story, and spoke constantly day and night, 24/7 you’d have to talk for –

    1 and a half YEARS.

    Nancy reminded us of that today.

  68. 68.

    Cacti

    @lamh36:

    I dont blame this young man one damn bit. Why should he meet with someone who, outside of his athletic abilty, thinks the life this young man leads is an abominabtion in need of “treatment”…FUQ Mike Pence!

    There is no middle ground with someone who doesn’t think you’re fully human.

  69. 69.

    JMG

    Anyone who thinks they know what’ll happen in November is wrong. But Democrats have a number of reasons to be optimistic and Republicans only one, although a decent economy is a good reason. But like most reasons, it does not have an indefinite shelf life. Had there been a national election in September 1929, Republicans would’ve won. By November not so much.
    One reason won’t change in the next nine months. Trump will still be a horrible person.

  70. 70.

    Patricia Kayden

    @GregB: Good!! Can’t stand him. May his being charged be a precursor for Trump getting the same treatment once Mueller wraps up his investigation.

  73. 73.

    Corner Stone

    Good God. Speaking of venality, why in the F is MSNBC giving airtime to the crazy ass Stephanie Hamill?

  74. 74.

    Felanius Kootea

    @Trentrunner: The majority of voters didn’t vote for #45 and enough of the voters who didn’t vote at all in the states that tipped the election over to him have been awakened that we are seeing Democratic gains in blood-red district special elections. But you already knew that. So know this: no one is going to get discouraged from voting in November or donating to Blue candidates based on your always pessimistic blog comments. The stakes are too high. Nice try though.

  78. 78.

    Amaranthine RBG

    Best part of that photo is that one of the disgraced (Lewandowski) is in active talks to return and Scaramucci is sniffing around trying to get back in, too by popping up on the teevee defending Trump.

    So not only did they choose incompetent, unqualified people and have to fire them. They are going to start recycling them, too. (See also Jason Miller …)

  81. 81.

    Mike in DC

    Turnover closing in on 40%. Probably 50+ by year end. Maybe 60 by the time Mueller’s referral goes to House Judiciary next year.

  83. 83.

    Roger Moore

    @Amaranthine RBG:

    So not only did they choose incompetent, unqualified people and have to fire them. They are going to start recycling them, too.

    This shouldn’t be a big surprise. As I (and numerous other posters here) have pointed out, the people Trump started with were the best he could get. When they leave, the replacements are going to be even worse. The only way around that is to bring back some of the people who left.

  84. 84.

    TenguPhule

    @schrodingers_cat:

    It is sad when the vetting process for an immigrant visa aka the Green Card is more thorough than that required to work at the WH.

    To be fair, if we’d had more stringent vetting awhile back, Trump’s ancestors would never have made it here. //

  85. 85.

    cain

    This shouldn’t be a big surprise. As I (and numerous other posters here) have pointed out, the people Trump started with were the best he could get. When they leave, the replacements are going to be even worse. The only way around that is to bring back some of the people who left.

    They will also be less and less competent and more ideological and harder to control.

  86. 86.

    Mnemosyne

    @cain:

    Maybe while wearing a t-shirt with a giant “Silence=Death” slogan on it? Or, “I’m not gay, but my husband is”?

    After Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton in their infamous duel, Burr went on a long tour of Europe in the time-honored way to avoid legal consequences for killing someone in a duel. While in France, Burr stopped in to call on Talleyrand, who had been a friend of Hamilton’s when Talleyrand was exiled in America.

    Talleyrand’s secretary came out and said, “Monsieur is welcome to visit, but he should know that M. Talleyrand keeps a large portrait of General Hamilton on the wall of his office.”

    Burr decided to skip the visit. ?

  87. 87.

    hellslittlestangel

    From the security check interview:

    Q: Did your ex-husband ever beat you?
    A: Yes, several times. He was also emotionally abusive.
    Q: Uh-huh. What did you do to provoke this?

  92. 92.

    Jerry

    It gets better – Dana Bash just dropped (to the ‘did she just break omerta?’ silence of the co-panelists) that Porter is *currently* ‘dating’ Hope Hicks.

    There isn’t enough popcorn…

  95. 95.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Jerry: it’s more than a social relationship

    Shimon Prokupecz‏Verified account @ ShimonPro
    CNN: White House communications director Hope Hicks, who has been in a romantic relationship with Rob Porter, was involved in crafting the response to the allegations of domestic abuse leveled against Porter on Tuesday.

  96. 96.

    randy khan

    @hellslittlestangel:

    Having had the pleasure of discussing someone seeking a security clearance with the FBI, I would say it’s a safe bet that’s not how it would proceed. They are looking for potential problems for the person who wants to be cleared, not trying to justify giving the clearance. (I had to keep reminding myself during the interview not to give flip responses to what seemed like stupid questions because they were deadly serious about them.)

  97. 97.

    Roger Moore

    @cain:

    They will also be less and less competent and more ideological and harder to control.

    My gut feeling is the replacements will be chosen more and more for loyalty to Trump over any other consideration. At the beginning, Pence still had a substantial say, so you got some traditional Republican hacks like Chao and Perry. Now, though, Trump isn’t going to ask Pence’s advice about anyone. He’s going to do the choosing himself, and all available evidence says he’s going to pick people willing to swear an oath of fealty. That tendency is only going to be exaggerated by the siege mentality brought on by the Mueller investigation; Trump will want people willing to do anything, even at terrible personal price, to protect him.

  98. 98.

    Davebo

    HATCH says he spoke to Rob Porter at the WH today: “I told him he shouldn’t (resign)…he should fight his way through this

    Fighting through issues is what got him in trouble Orrin.

  100. 100.

    West of the Rockies (been a while)

    @NorthLeft12:

    That photo is a study in arrogance, pride, and (with apologies to douches everywhere), douchery. The Mooch, in particular, looks like such a putz.

  102. 102.

    wjs

    The Lautenberg Amendment (Domestic Violence Offender Gun Ban) comes up for discussion among gun nuts all the time. It bans domestic abusers from owning guns, and this jackhole Porter is a case study as to why this law is critical. This guy shouldn’t have gotten a job in the White House.

    How much do you want to bet The Lautenberg Amendment gets repealed before the GOP loses control of Congress this fall?

    Every time someone Trump knows is caught doing something evil, there’s a compensatory, ‘eff you’ move orchestrated behind the scenes to signal the base that, “yeah, our guy was a wife beater, but we’re repealing the ban on wife beaters owning guns because we’re psychopaths, just like y’all.”

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