Former White House staff secretary Rob Porter told reporters that his ex-wife Colbie Holderness received a black eye from a fall, following the release of a photo featuring Holderness with a black eye and reports that he was abusive in both his previous marriages, according to a report Tuesday.
Porter met with a handful of journalists shortly after reports emerged detailing the alleged abuse and informed them that Holderness bruised her eye from a fall during an altercation regarding a Venetian vase, Politico reports, citing unnamed sources familiar with the meeting.
The meeting was off-the-record and had been coordinated by White House press secretary Sarah Sanders. Politico said the reporters who attended that off-the-record meeting did not use the information shared with them.
Porter told the same story regarding Holderness’ black eye with White House staffers, according to ABC News.
According to the Daily Mail, Porter called his second wife a “fucking bitch” while they were on their honeymoon, a detail Porter admitted to the reporters as true, and grabbed her out the shower on one occasion. The report also highlighted a protective order that she obtained against Porter in 2010.
Holderness then told the Daily Mail in a separate report that the former White House aide had punched her face and choked her, among other abuses. The photo referenced by Porter and reporters was included in that report.
Porter announced Wednesday he would be stepping down from his post, but denied the abuse allegations.
The situation has caused some to question why Porter, who had not obtained a full security clearance due to the allegations, was permitted to work in a top role in the Trump administration.
The incident has caused the White House to come under fire for it’s approach towards allegations of misconduct.
