Gay Quisling In White House Sees No Problem With Trump's LGBTQ Policies

Deputy White House press secretary Judd Deere (images via Instagram)

Openly gay Judd Deere lives in Washington, D.C. He has a boyfriend, attended DC Pride, and currently serves in the Trump White House as Deputy Press Secretary.

Tasked with touting Donald Trump’s policies - including those that erode LGBTQ progress - Deere recently told Buzzfeed News he doesn’t care what the LGBTQ community thinks of him. He says his rise in the Trump administration is proof Trump isn’t homophobic.

“I’m completely open about who I am,” Deere told Buzzfeed. “These individuals that I work with in this building don’t treat me any differently because I’m gay.”

But, there is a caveat to that statement as Deere admits he doesn’t “walk into the White House every day and say, ‘I’m Judd Deere; I’m gay.’”

Adding that the president “doesn’t treat me any different” because he’s gay, Deere cops to not knowing if Trump even knows he identifies as gay.

Like former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Deere is originally from Arkansas.

He previously worked for the state’s Attorney General which fought against listing both same-sex parents on a child’s birth certificate. Striking down Fayetteville’s LGBTQ nondiscrimination ordinance was also on the menu during his time there.

“I focused on hiring the very best people, and that’s why I hired Judd,” wrote Sanders, in an email to Buzzfeed. “I am proud to have him on our team to help on LGBT issues as well as the many others in his portfolio.”

(image via Instagram/JuddPDeere)

Speaking of ‘helping on LGBT issues,’ Deere says he has no problem with the Trump administration’s policies regarding the community.

His position is that none of the controversial, news-making policies are really discriminatory.

On whether a baker can turn away a same-sex couple looking for a wedding cake?

“Yeah, that’s fine,” says Deere. “I’ll just go find another cake shop that will.”

Trump’s ban on transgender military service members, Deere says trans soldiers “erode military readiness,” and adds that the ban was “developed through extensive studies within the military by senior military officials.”

Not true - Trump’s own generals have publicly shared they were surprised by the July 2017 tweets announcing the ban.

When it comes to allowing healthcare providers to deny treatment to LGBTQ people based on ‘sincerely held religious beliefs,’ Deere (towing the administration line) says Trump is protecting ‘conscience rights.’

Buzzfeed’s Dominic Holden asked Deere what Trump has done for LGBTQ Americans, and Deere points to the president’s promise to end the HIV epidemic by 2030, as well as launching a “global campaign to decriminalize homosexuality.”

Across the board, though, Deere maintains that any notion the Trump administration is anti-LGBTQ is “just a smear campaign.”

And when it comes to how he himself might be perceived after agreeing to the Buzzfeedinterview, the deputy press secretary is unfazed.

“I don't go into a dark depression because somebody hates the person I work for, or wants to get upset at me because they think I'm crazy for working here, because it just doesn't matter to me,” said Deere.

(source: Buzzfeed News)

6th White House Comm Director (Abruptly) Resigns

CNN is reporting on the 'abrupt' departure of White House communications director Bill Shine.

This comes just days after The New Yorker detailed the more-than-close relationship between Fox News and Donald Trump.

Shine worked as a Fox News executive until he was pushed out for his handling of numerous sexual harassment lawsuits at the network.

Shortly after Shine's resignation was made public Friday, the Trump campaign announced Shine will be joining Trump's 2020 re-election campaign as a "senior adviser."

The New York Times' Maggie Haberman and Peter Baker write that sources say the campaign assignment may be an effort to help Shine save face.

Shine was the 6th communications director (so far) in the Trump administration.

In related news, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson also tendered her resignation to take a position in academia. According to reports, Trump had been considering firing Wilson for months due to what he considered slow progress on his proposed 'Space Force.'

JUST IN: White House communications director Bill Shine resigns to join the Trump campaign. The former Fox News executive joined the White House in July 2018. https://t.co/v7QzllAAUr pic.twitter.com/ay65KGvLZA

— CNN (@CNN) March 8, 2019

Donald Trump’s day so far:

- New jobs report is a disaster
- White House Communications Director Bill Shine resigns
- Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson resigns
- The rats are fleeing the sinking ship
- Trump is going to prison
- It’s still only 1pm

— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) March 8, 2019

White House Backs Down - Permanently Returns Jim Acosta's White House Access

Jim Acosta (L) and Donald Trump (R)

The White House is backing down on its threat to permanently revoke the press pass of CNN's Jim Acosta.

According a letter sent from the White House, Acosta will be granted his 'hard pass' again but there will be new rules that will affect not only him but all reporters in the White House press pool.

The primary 'new rule' will be one question per reporter at White House press briefings. The president, or any other official speaking from the podium, may grant a follow-up question but it will be at their discretion.

Watch the report below from CNN.

Thanks to everybody for their support. As I said last Friday... let's get back to work.

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 19, 2018

CNN Sues Trump White House For Restoration Of Jim Acosta's Press Credentials

In the aftermath of the White House revoking CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta's press credentials, CNN has filed a lawsuit against President Trump and several of his aides, seeking the immediate restoration of Acosta's access to the White House.

The lawsuit is a response to the White House's suspension of Acosta's press pass, known as a Secret Service "hard pass," last week. The suit alleges that Acosta and CNN's First and Fifth Amendment rights are being violated by the ban.

The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday morning. It was docketed and assigned to Judge Timothy J. Kelly, a Trump appointee. CNN is seeking a preliminary hearing as soon as possible.

Both CNN and Acosta are plaintiffs in the lawsuit. There are six defendants: Trump, chief of staff John Kelly, press secretary Sarah Sanders, deputy chief of staff for communications Bill Shine, Secret Service director Randolph Alles, and the Secret Service officer who took Acosta's hard pass away last Wednesday.

"CNN filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration this morning in DC District Court," the statement read. "It demands the return of the White House credentials of CNN's Chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta. The wrongful revocation of these credentials violates CNN and Acosta's First Amendment rights of freedom of the press, and their Fifth Amendment rights to due process. We have asked this court for an immediate restraining order requiring the pass be returned to Jim, and will seek permanent relief as part of this process."

The White House Correspondents' Association said it "strongly supports CNN's goal of seeing their correspondent regain a US Secret Service security credential that the White House should not have taken away in the first place."

The White House has shifted its explanation for barring Acosta.

Initially, the reason for suspension was “placing his hands” on an intern (he didn't), but now the issue supposedly is that he kept asking questions.

So, if they think he monopolizes a press conference, why call on him?

Anonymous Op-Ed In NY Times: "I Am Part Of The Resistance Inside The Trump Administration"

Donald Trump

Umm, wow.

The New York Times has published an astonishing anonymous op-ed from someone who purports to be a senior official in the Trump White House.

The Times says it knows the identity of the author, and is publishing the piece due to its "important perspective."

Here's how the essay begins:

President Trump is facing a test to his presidency unlike any faced by a modern American leader.

It’s not just that the special counsel looms large. Or that the country is bitterly divided over Mr. Trump’s leadership. Or even that his party might well lose the House to an opposition hellbent on his downfall.

The dilemma — which he does not fully grasp — is that many of the senior officials in his own administration are working diligently from within to frustrate parts of his agenda and his worst inclinations.

I would know. I am one of them.

The author goes on to say he and his allies are not the 'resistance' of the left but are putting country first while Donald Trump continues to act "in a manner that is detrimental to the health of our republic."

The goal of the insiders (who the author refers to as not the "deep state" but the "steady state") is to thwart "Mr. Trump’s more misguided impulses until he is out of office."

Continuing, the author refers to Trump's leadership style as "impetuous, adversarial, petty and ineffective."

And then there's this bombshell:

Given the instability many witnessed, there were early whispers within the cabinet of invoking the 25th Amendment, which would start a complex process for removing the president. But no one wanted to precipitate a constitutional crisis. So we will do what we can to steer the administration in the right direction until — one way or another — it’s over.

You really must read the full essay here.

White House Hosts Virtual 'Who's Who' Of Anti-LGBT Activists

Anti-LGBT megachurch pastor Robert Jeffress

Last night’s event at the White House was grand enough to rival past ’state dinners’ held for visiting heads of state as President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence welcomed a ‘who’s who’ of evangelical, anti-LGBTQ leaders.

Prominent anti-gay haters included longtime anti-choice activist Ralph Reed, hate group leader Tony Perkins, Texas megachurch Pastor Robert Jeffress (who once declared that Jews are going to hell for killing Jesus), and “Christian” activist Jim Garlow (who has publicly stated gays are ‘demonic’).

That said, Donald Trump’s White House crew were all on hand to happily take pics with the leaders of Trump’s evangelical base, including supposedly LGBTQ-friendly Jared and Ivanka Trump.

Jarod & Ivanka @ tonite’s White House dinner. pic.twitter.com/PEhm4vOSsF

— Jim Garlow (@JimGarlow) August 28, 2018

At White House Dinner tonite. Fabulous event. I was leaving the room. Did not even know the President was coming up beside me on my right. Was so shocked to see him. Got the best pic I could. pic.twitter.com/MceUWAvcp0

— Jim Garlow (@JimGarlow) August 28, 2018

At incredible White House Dinner tonite. Elegant & brilliant First Lady Melania. pic.twitter.com/F9fsdunIHD

— Jim Garlow (@JimGarlow) August 28, 2018

Many Americans have not been able to understand how so-called “Christians” can reconcile so many less-than-moral incidents in Trump’s past and present.

In fact, a recent Fox News poll shows Trump enjoys 74% job approval among evangelicals.

The reason why? They don't care about his moral failings as long as they get the policies they want.

On Fox News last night, Jeffress explained to host Shannon Bream that as long as Trump delivers on the policies he and his ilk want to see passed, they will not be ‘shamed’ for supporting the Trumpster.

“I know a lot of people are still perplexed ‘Why are Christians so supportive of Donald Trump?’” Jeffress said. “Well, it’s really not that hard to figure out when you realize he is the most pro-life, pro-religious liberty, pro-conservative judiciary in history and that includes either Bush or Ronald Reagan. I think that is why evangelicals remain committed to this president and they are not going to turn away from him soon.”

“To be fair, Shannon, we have to understand these are still allegations against the president, so I’m not going to judge the president on these things,” said the megachurch pastor. “But even if they were true, some of these allegations, I mean, obviously, we don’t support extramarital affairs, we don’t support hush money payments, but what we do support are these president’s excellent policies,” Jeffress continued. “And I think most thinking people can absolutely differentiate between the two.”

“And don’t be mistaking what is going on here. Those who hate President Trump, those on the left know that if they can dislodge his evangelical supporters from him, they have a shot at overtaking the White House. So I think the left is trying to shame people like myself continuously for supporting this great president. It’s not going to work. We’re not going to turn away from him.”

Watch Jeffress explain why he and fellow “Christians” won’t be ‘shamed” by Donald Trump’s deeds below.

Why The Trump White House Leaks So Much

Donald Trump

Last week, the political world was in an uproar over White House aide Kelly Sadler declaring during a meeting in the West Wing that Sen. John McCain's opposition to CIA nominee Gina Haspel was largely not important because "he's dying anyway."

Not a kind way to speak about a man who's devoted his whole life to service to country.

Today, the White House is trying the spin the story into a "leak" scandal.

"When you work in any work environment...if you aren't able in internal meetings to speak your mind, or convey thoughts, or say anything that you feel without feeling like your colleagues will betray you, that creates a very difficult work environment," said White House press secretary Raj Shah.

Writing for Axios, Jonathan Swan took time to explore why the Trump White House has so many leaks to the press.

"To be honest, it probably falls into a couple of categories,” one current White House official tells me. "The first is personal vendettas. And two is to make sure there's an accurate record of what's really going on in the White House."

"To cover my tracks, I usually pay attention to other staffers' idioms and use that in my background quotes. That throws the scent off me," the current White House official added.

"The most common substantive leaks are the result of someone losing an internal policy debate," a current senior administration official told me. "By leaking the decision, the loser gets one last chance to kill it with blowback from the public, Congress or even the President."

"Otherwise," the official added, "you have to realize that working here is kind of like being in a never-ending 'Mexican Standoff.' Everyone has guns (leaks) pointed at each other and it's only a matter of time before someone shoots. There's rarely a peaceful conclusion so you might as well shoot first."

Axios' Mike Allen, who covered the White House for 20 years, says "we learn more about what's going on inside the Trump White House in a week than we did in a year of the George W. Bush presidency."

The so-called leaks coming out of the White House are a massive over exaggeration put out by the Fake News Media in order to make us look as bad as possible. With that being said, leakers are traitors and cowards, and we will find out who they are!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 14, 2018

Start with that John Barron guy. I hear he leaks a lot. That's what people are saying. https://t.co/3inCEZhAhD

— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) May 14, 2018

In Trump's opinion, his staff member who made fun of John McCain's terminal illness isn't a "traitor," but the people who told the press about it are. https://t.co/CLtD4hjYdT

— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) May 14, 2018

White House Staffers May Quit Over Rudy Giuliani Media Circus

Axios reports there is unrest in the White House as the Rudy Giuliani media circus continues to unravel.

If you were gobsmacked watching Rudy Giuliani’s media tour this week — which he launched on Fox News’ Hannity by announcing that Trump reimbursed lawyer Michael Cohen for a hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels — you weren’t alone.

What we’re hearing: A White House official told me there were “a couple of Mooch references” in the West Wing last week, as Giuliani’s performance recalled Anthony Scaramucci’s frenzied 11-day stint last summer as White House communications director.

If the Giuliani circus continues unabated — with him taking media calls day and night and freelancing on legal and policy matters — White House staff will likely quit, a well-placed source tells me.

And John Oliver of HBO's Last Week Tonight offered this summation of Rudy's first two weeks as Donald Trump's new legal eagle.

Several Prominent Winter Olympians Won't Be At White House Reception Today

Gus Kenworthy & Adam Rippon at Opening Ceremonies of 2018 Winter Olympics

The White House will host members of the 2018 U.S. Winter Olympic and Paralympic teams this morning but several of the bigger names from this years' Games won't be in attendance.

From USA Today:

Lindsey Vonn won’t be there. Neither will opening ceremony flag bearer Erin Hamlin, or Adam Rippon, or almost all of his figure skating colleagues, or Chloe Kim, or Gus Kenworthy, or Jessie Diggins, or David Wise.

Some, like Vonn, Rippon and Kenworthy in particular, have made it clear they are skipping the U.S. Olympic Committee’s White House visit because they do not want to stand with the controversial Trump, who, among other things, bragged about sexually assaulting women in a video released during the 2016 presidential campaign, mocked a disabled person during the campaign and called some white supremacists “very fine people” after the deadly Charlottesville rally.

Others have just said they are going to be, um, busy.

Rippon has a full schedule with Dancing with the Stars rehearsals even as he's touring with "Stars On Ice."

But it was a foregone conclusion neither he nor Kenworthy would be attending today.

Rippon told USA Today:

"I have been invited to so many incredible things, to the Human Rights Campaign dinner, the GLAAD Media Awards. I was so honored and so excited to go to those, more so than I would be to go to the White House. I feel like it was more important for me to go to those events because it’s a cause that I really believe in, it’s a message that I believe in. It's important for me to align myself with those people who have the same ideals that I have.”

Olympians from the 2018 Games have been invited to go to the White House today. I will not be going. I will not stand with people who discriminate against those that they perceive as different. In lieu of going to DC, I have donated to a few of my favorite causes 🙆🏼‍♂️❤️ https://t.co/qDXqswTHdF

— Adam Rippon (@Adaripp) April 27, 2018

My first donation is to @glaad. I love to be partnered with them and will continue to work together to help empower LGBTQ youth. https://t.co/g9cVJfREUc

— Adam Rippon (@Adaripp) April 27, 2018

Another donation is to @PPFA. They provide many different affordable health care services and have helped so many different people. https://t.co/9fYu1X49N8

— Adam Rippon (@Adaripp) April 27, 2018

I’ll also be making a donation to the @RedCross to help with the work they do to provide disaster relief. https://t.co/hocEjeveGq

— Adam Rippon (@Adaripp) April 27, 2018

If you want to join me and you’re able to give a little, go for it! I think when we’re able to help each other out and do what we can to lift each other up, that’s when we’re truly making America great 🇺🇸

— Adam Rippon (@Adaripp) April 27, 2018

Even The Easter Bunny Knows

From CNN - President Donald J. Trump touts the economy and the military at the annual White House Easter egg roll.

Just so inappropriate.

And then there's, "This incredible house, or building or whatever you want to call it...."

We call it The White House.

The look on the Easter Bunny's face is priceless.

Watch below

CNN: Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin Is Next To Be Fired From Trump Administration

Donald Trump may like being in Apprentice-mode these days.

Right on the heels of firing his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, CNN is reporting that President Trump is looking to dismiss embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and replace him with Energy Secretary Rick Perry.

Shulkin has butted heads in recent months with conservative White House officials over the expansion of government-subsidized private health care for veterans, outside the government-run V.A. health system.

Additionally, Shulkin drew negative attention for a trip to Britain and Denmark last year where it appears he spent much of the time sight-seeing with his wife.

Rick Perry reportedly had lunch at the White House yesterday but no confirmation if the subject of moving to the VA came up.

Watch the report from CNN below.

JUST IN: President Trump has grown irritated with his embattled Veterans Affairs secretary, David Shulkin, and is eyeing Energy Secretary Rick Perry as a possible replacement, sources tell CNN https://t.co/g5hfC0JgK7 pic.twitter.com/bd4S1r2c8y

— CNN (@CNN) March 13, 2018

Trump Aide Fired For "Serious Financial Crimes" Investigation, Immediately Hired By 2020 Trump Campaign

More news coming out of the dumpster fire that is the Trump Administration - Trump's personal assistant, Johnny McEntee, was quietly fired on Monday from the White House.

After months of issues with his background security check, he was let go and escorted from the White House yesterday.

According to CNN, McEntee's security clearance hit a snag "because he is currently under investigation by the Department of Homeland Security for serious financial crimes."

But remember, according to Trump this White House has "no Chaos, only great Energy!"

Now, where do you get a job when you're being investigated for "serious financial crimes?"

He was immediately hired today by the Trump 2020 reelection campaign.

See CNN's report below.

President Trump’s personal aide Johnny McEntee was fired because he is currently under investigation by the Department of Homeland Security for serious financial crimes, a source familiar with his firing tells CNN https://t.co/n09VdRlb8b pic.twitter.com/anoqny6OdM

— CNN (@CNN) March 13, 2018

The new Fake News narrative is that there is CHAOS in the White House. Wrong! People will always come & go, and I want strong dialogue before making a final decision. I still have some people that I want to change (always seeking perfection). There is no Chaos, only great Energy!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 6, 2018

Here's John McEntee,Trump's fired body man, Trick shot quarterback - https://t.co/vvuwdQqVdm #MAGA

— Not @RealDonaldTrump (@RuleDonaldTrump) March 13, 2018

White House Soon To Be "Hope-Less" As Comm Director To Resign

Another one bites the dust.

From The New York Times:

Hope Hicks, the White House communications director and one of President Trump’s longest-serving advisers, said Wednesday that she plans to leave the White House in the coming weeks.

Ms. Hicks, 29, a former model who joined Mr. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign without any experience in politics, became known as one of the few aides who understood his personality and style and could challenge the president to change his views.

Ms. Hicks had been considering leaving for several months. 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, according to White House aides.

Her resignation came a day after she testified for eight hours before the House Intelligence Committee, telling the panel that in her job, she had occasionally been required to tell white lies but had never lied about anything connected to the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.

The news of Hicks' resignation comes just a day after she spent more than 8 hours testifying in front of the House Intelligence Committee.

According to reports, while she declined to answer many questions she did admit that she has felt her job required her to tell "white lies" about events at the White House.

Hicks has also been implicated in the drafting of a misleading statement Trump dictated aboard Air Force One regarding his son’s meeting with a Russian lawyer during the presidential election.

According to people present at the time, Hicks reportedly told the president that Trump Jr.’s email exchange in setting up the meeting would "never get out.”

Recently, she was also romantically involved with now-departed White House staff secretary Rob Porter who resigned amid multiple allegations of domestic abuse from his two ex-wives.

Here's the explanation from Haberman. I think Tapper was ... skeptical. pic.twitter.com/YhWlWclDjg

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) February 28, 2018

White House Lies: "The President Hasn't Said That Russia Didn't Meddle"

Proving that the White House staff lives in a bizarro/other dimension where up is down and down is up, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders denied that Donald Trump ever said Russia didn't meddle in the 2016 presidential election.

Sanders told reporters at today's press briefing:

“One of the places where you guys seem to get very confused––and it seems to happen regularly––the President hasn’t said that Russian didn’t meddle. What he’s saying is it didn’t have an impact and it certainly wasn’t with help from the Trump campaign. It’s also very clear that Russia meddled in the election. It’s also very clear it didn’t have an impact on the election, and it’s also very clear the Trump campaign didn’t collude with the Russians in any way.”

Watch Ms. Sanders literally lie through her teeth below.

Press Secretary Sarah Sanders when asked if Pres. Trump acknowledges Russians tried to meddle in 2016 election: "It's very clear that Russia meddled in the election." https://t.co/c8WxE0BwjS pic.twitter.com/o2cX1aDuLy

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 20, 2018

.@PressSec about why @realDonaldTrmp has not criticized Vladimir Putin: He has been tougher on Russia than Obama was in the past eight years combined...
???

— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) February 20, 2018

SARAH SANDERS: Trump absolutely believes Russian meddled in the election

ALSO SARAH SANDERS: The FBI should not have spent time investigating Russian meddling because it is a hoaxhttps://t.co/1g0NrTykx3

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) February 20, 2018

Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Feb 20, 2018): “The president hasn’t said that Russia hasn’t meddled.”

President Trump (December 2016): “I don’t believe they interfered."

— Matt Viser (@mviser) February 20, 2018

Rob Porter Was Under Consideration For WH Promotion When Domestic Abuse Allegations Made Public

Well, the news is not getting any better for the White House today.

In the aftermath of today's revelation that the FBI informed the White House months ago that there were serious domestic abuse reports regarding former staff secretary Rob Porter, now comes word that he was in the process of being considered for a promotion even in light of his ex-wives' testimony of physical abuse.

From CNN:

His anticipated elevation further highlights how top White House officials were willing to overlook indications from the FBI that there were potential abuse allegations in his background in exchange for professional competence in a tumultuous West Wing.

Porter had been actively lobbying to take on new policy portfolios outside the traditional scope of the staff secretary, one person familiar with the matter said, which included speechwriting duties and a role in planning policy rollouts. Neither of those tasks is traditionally carried out by the staff secretary.
One of the areas Porter was set to delve further into was trade policy, according to the person. Porter was a regular attendee at a weekly trade meeting among top-level administration officials.

He was also being considered for the deputy chief of staff position, another source familiar with the situation said. CNN reported Friday that Jim Carroll, who served as the deputy chief of staff for less than three months, was stepping down to helm the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

So, we know Chief of Staff John Kelly knew of the abuse allegations in January. But even so, Kelly would have promoted Porter if the press hadn't reported on his ex-wives' reports of abuse???

You can watch the video report on CNN here.

CNN: Rob Porter was in talks to be promoted when abuse allegations against him surfaced.

TRANSLATION: When Trump is “elected” despite being accused of assaulting 19+ women and conspiring with Russia overlooking domestic violence is just “par for the course” for this White House.

— Ryan Knight, PROUD RESISTER 👊 (@ProudResister) February 13, 2018

Not surprised Jared Kushner pushed for Rob Porter to be elevated, since Kushner also has massive security clearance issues.

But a 4 star Marine should know better. Under Kelly's watch, the White House has made a mockery of the security clearance process. Kelly needs to resign. https://t.co/7xMThXqbjv

— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) February 13, 2018

WH right now acting as if it has had one coherent message and plan following revelations of Rob Porter’s two ex-wives accusing him domestic abuse. That’s just demonstrably false. Initial responses were to support Porter full throatedly.

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 12, 2018

FBI Director Contradicts White House Version Of Timeline On Rob Porter Background Check

FBI Director Christopher Wray

Donald Trump's own hand-picked FBI Director, Christopher Wray, directly contradicted the White House's timeline regarding now-departed staff secretary Rob Porter's background security check.

The White House told the press that Porter's alleged domestic abuse only came to light this month.

But testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee today, Wray told lawmakers the FBI completed a partial report in March, finished a final report in July, and delivered responses to follow up requests in November.

The White House has never mentioned receiving a report in March. And White House spokesman Raj Shah told reporters that the background check was never completed.

Wray just contradicted WH timeline on Porter saying FBI “completed background investigation in late July.” WH spox Shah said last week background investigation was “ongoing.” pic.twitter.com/1keHbXUJZu

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) February 13, 2018

The testimony of FBI Director Wray directly contradicts both @PressSec & @RajShah45. So did both Sanders and Shah decide independently to lie to the American people? Or did someone higher up in the White House tell them a lie that they then repeated? https://t.co/b7JViHHtJh

— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) February 13, 2018

FBI Director Wray on Rob Porter background check:

• Submitted partial report in March
• Completed background investigation in late July
• Received request for follow up, provided info in Nov.
• Closed the file in Jan.
• Received and passed on new info earlier this month pic.twitter.com/ucNcgge4vz

— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 13, 2018

WH Aide To Donald Trump Resigns Amid Accusations Of Abuse

Rob Porter (R)

A top White House aide, Rob Porter, has resigned after his two ex-wives came forward with stories of domestic abuse.

Remember, Donald Trump told us over and over how he has "the best people."

From The New York Times:

As the White House staff secretary, Rob Porter is not a public figure, but he is responsible for paper flow to the president, a job of crucial importance in the Trump administration. He frequently travels with President Trump on Air Force One, and he helped write Mr. Trump’s first State of the Union address last month.

But despite initial support from John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff, and other West Wing staff aides, Mr. Porter announced his resignation on Wednesday, a day after his two former wives accused him in interviews of physical abuse when they were married to him.

His troubles were not a complete secret at the White House: Two people close to the White House said that the allegations against him made by his former wives, Colbie Holderness and Jennifer Willoughby, had contributed to a delay in granting him a permanent security clearance.

In a statement, Mr. Porter said that “these allegations are simply false,” even as details of the alleged abuse and photographs of one of his former wives with a black eye that she said he had given her were widely circulated.

Ms. Willoughby shared a blog post back in April of last year that, without naming Porter, described the abuse during their marriage.

Porter reportedly asked Willoughby to remove the post several times.

Here's just the beginning:

The first time he called me a "fucking bitch" was on our honeymoon. (I found out years later he had kicked his first wife on theirs.) A month later he physically prevented me from leaving the house. Less than two months after that, I filed a protective order with the police because he punched in the glass on our front door while I was locked inside. We bought a house to make up for it. Just after our one year anniversary, he pulled me, naked and dripping, from the shower to yell at me.

Everyone loved him. People commented all the time how lucky I was. Strangers complimented him to me every time we went out. But in my home, the abuse was insidious. The threats were personal. The terror was real. And yet I stayed.

Even though White House Chief of Staff John Kelly knew of the allegations since last fall, he defended Porter this week saying, “He is a friend, a confidant and a trusted professional.”

“I am proud to serve alongside him,” Kelly added.

One more detail of note: Porter is apparently now dating White House communications director Hope Hicks, who is one of the closest, most influential advisers to Trump.

Here are the photos of the black eye Porter allegedly dealt his first ex-wife:

WH Chief of Staff John Kelly shamelessly continued to defend Rob Porter AFTER these photos were published of one of the ex-wives Porter physically assaulted. For those who still had a remnant of respect for Kelly, this proves once & for all that he’s NOT a good or honorable man. pic.twitter.com/A9oK20yUyj

— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) February 8, 2018

Allegations of domestic abuse levied against top White House staffer Rob Porter by his ex-wives were known among senior Trump aides for months, and there was a scramble inside the West Wing to defend him when the claims became public, sources tell CNN https://t.co/O3vZAqIO3E pic.twitter.com/XqIzReb7YS

— CNN (@CNN) February 8, 2018

CNN: Rob Porter steps down after word got out he’s a wife beater.

MSNBC: John Kelly knew there was a wife beater working in the White House who couldn’t get security clearance.

Fox News: Valentine’s Day is around the corner ladies, what have u gotten for the man in your life?

— Dana Goldberg (@DGComedy) February 8, 2018

Trump Breaks Modern Record For White House Staff Departures

Maybe they're just not into him?

Donald Trump breaks yet another record, although this isn't really one to be proud of in my estimation.

Donald Trump has seen more turnover in White House staff during his first year in office than any president in modern history.

According to The Washington Post's Monkey Cage, here's the percentage of folks leaving their White House positions within year one:

Ronald Reagan: 17%

George H.W. Bush: 7%

Bill Clinton: 11%

George W. Bush: 6%

Barack Obama: 9%

Donald Trump: 34%

Check the video below for a list of White House staff who've taken leave before the end of Year One of the Trump Presidency.

White House: Steve Bannon "Not Only Lost His Job, He Lost His Mind"

File this under "Infighting is funny."

The White House has quickly issued this statement regarding Steve Bannon's quoted statements in Michael Wolff's upcoming behind-the-scenes look at the Trump presidency, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.

Steve Bannon has nothing to do with me or my Presidency. When he was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind. Steve was a staffer who worked for me after I had already won the nomination by defeating seventeen candidates, often described as the most talented field ever assembled in the Republican party.

Now that he is on his own, Steve is learning that winning isn’t as easy as I make it look. Steve had very little to do with our historic victory, which was delivered by the forgotten men and women of this country. Yet Steve had everything to do with the loss of a Senate seat in Alabama held for more than thirty years by Republicans. Steve doesn’t represent my base—he’s only in it for himself.

Steve pretends to be at war with the media, which he calls the opposition party, yet he spent his time at the White House leaking false information to the media to make himself seem far more important than he was. It is the only thing he does well. Steve was rarely in a one-on-one meeting with me and only pretends to have had influence to fool a few people with no access and no clue, whom he helped write phony books.

We have many great Republican members of Congress and candidates who are very supportive of the Make America Great Again agenda. Like me, they love the United States of America and are helping to finally take our country back and build it up, rather than simply seeking to burn it all down.

Multiple people told me this morning Trump is infuriated beyond belief at Steve Bannon’s comments about Don Junior. Saying that Trump thinks Bannon is the traitor. They’ve never seen Trump this angry. The sound of their voices? Absolutely terrified. Expect an unhinged response.

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) January 3, 2018

"Steve Bannon was just a low-level, volunteer coffee boy." -- Trump, tomorrow

— Victor Stoddard (@VicStoddard) January 3, 2018

CNN: Steve Bannon says Trump tower meeting was treasonous.

MSNBC: Steve Bannon says Trump met with the Russians in Trump tower.

FOX NEWS: holy shit we actually have to cover this

— God (@TheGoodGodAbove) January 3, 2018

From the parody Twitter account of "President Bannon:"

About to fire Donald Trump.

— Steve Bannon (@PRESlDENTBANNON) January 3, 2018

Did it not occur to you that "deconstructing the administrative state" could involve taking out the sitting president?

— Steve Bannon (@PRESlDENTBANNON) January 3, 2018

Day 348

Eggs: breaking
Secrets: leaking
Mueller: laughing
McConnell: smiling
Democrats: dancing
Base: crying
White House: panicking
Ship: sinking
Swamp: boiling
Hot tub: filling
Tiny Hands: fuming

So much: WINNING

— Steve Bannon (@PRESlDENTBANNON) January 3, 2018

Steve Bannon Calls Trump Jr.'s Russian Meeting "Treasonous" In New White House Exposé

New York Magazine has posted a fascinating adapted excerpt from the forthcoming book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by veteran journalist, Michael Wolff.

From New York Magazine:

Wolff, who chronicles the administration from Election Day to this past October, conducted conversations and interviews over a period of 18 months with the president, most members of his senior staff, and many people to whom they in turn spoke. Shortly after Trump’s inauguration, Wolff says, he was able to take up “something like a semi-permanent seat on a couch in the West Wing” — an idea encouraged by the president himself. Because no one was in a position to either officially approve or formally deny such access, Wolff became “more a constant interloper than an invited guest.” There were no ground rules placed on his access, and he was required to make no promises about how he would report on what he witnessed.

Since then, he conducted more than 200 interviews. In true Trumpian fashion, the administration’s lack of experience and disdain for political norms made for a hodgepodge of journalistic challenges. Information would be provided off-the-record or on deep background, then casually put on the record. Sources would fail to set any parameters on the use of a conversation, or would provide accounts in confidence, only to subsequently share their views widely. And the president’s own views, private as well as public, were constantly shared by others.

I just finished reading the online excerpt and it is riveting in its frank behind-the-scenes accounts of a presidency that apparently no one expected to happen.

According to the article:

• The entire Trump campaign team, including Donald Trump, was expecting to lose the election. But the loss was to set up each Trump player for the next chapters of their lives. Trump reportedly told Roger Ailes, “I don’t think about losing, because it isn’t losing. We’ve totally won.”

• Melania Trump had been promised her husband wouldn't win; Kellyanne Conway had already interviewed with news networks before election day to become a political pundit/star; Steve Bannon was to become the defacto head of the Tea Party. And then Trump won.

Shortly after 8 p.m. on Election Night, when the unexpected trend — Trump might actually win — seemed confirmed, Don Jr. told a friend that his father, or DJT, as he calls him, looked as if he had seen a ghost. Melania was in tears—and not of joy.

There was, in the space of little more than an hour, in Steve Bannon’s not unamused observation, a befuddled Trump morphing into a disbelieving Trump and then into a horrified Trump. But still to come was the final transformation: Suddenly, Donald Trump became a man who believed that he deserved to be, and was wholly capable of being, the president of the United States.

[snip]

Early in the campaign, Sam Nunberg was sent to explain the Constitution to the candidate. “I got as far as the Fourth Amendment,” Nunberg recalled, “before his finger is pulling down on his lip and his eyes are rolling back in his head.

• Donald and Melania Trump sleep in separate bedrooms.

• Bannon says the Russian collusion investigation is heading towards the issue of money laundering.

• Katie Walsh, former Deputy Chief of Staff, told Wolff that working with Trump in the White House was “like trying to figure out what a child wants.”

And then there's a bombshell report from The Guardian, who got ahold of an advance copy, wherein Steve Bannon called Donald Trump Jr. "treasonous" and predicted that the investigation into Russian collusion will "crack Don Junior like egg."

It's an enthralling read. Wolff is an absolute pro - you can be certain nothing here is made up. With oveer 200 documented interviews, and folks too inexperienced to set parameters on those chat with Wolff, I'm sure many will be denying they said a lot of stuff Wolff recorded.

From the folks in the Twitterverse:

Ok. When Steve Bannon is way out in front of even ME on the use of the word “treasonous” I’m guessing we’re approaching the proverbial End Game https://t.co/1yHaTWEYU2

— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) January 3, 2018

NEW: Ivanka Trump on her father’s hair, as reported in Michael Wolff’s “Fire & Fury,” including detail about “scalp reduction surgery.” pic.twitter.com/0nOEDxTaLP

— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) January 3, 2018

NEW: Here's the Bannon quote regarding the July 2016 Trump Tower meeting: "The chance that Don Jr. did not walk these Jumos up to his father’s office of the 26th floor is zero,” per "Fire & Fury." (pg. 255)

— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) January 3, 2018

The big loser in the latest Trump-Bannon crisis is the dignity of the US. The big winner is Michael Wolff and his book sales. Next time I have a book coming out, I invite President Trump to rage against it.

— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) January 3, 2018

Trump had three campaign managers.
1. Corey Lewandowski: accused of sexual assault
2. Paul Manafort: indicted for money laundering and conspiracy
3. Steve Bannon: accused top campaign aides of treason

— Pé Resists (@4everNeverTrump) January 3, 2018

NEW: Mike Flynn “had been told by friends that it had not been a good idea to take $45,000 from the Russians for a speech. “Well it would only be a problem if we won,” he assured them, knowing that it would therefore not be a problem.”

Fire & Fury, by Michael Wolff, page 17.

— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) January 3, 2018

More witch hunt #TrumpRussia attacks by Democrats who are upset @realDonaldTrump won.

Oh wait ... this is Steve Bannon. https://t.co/1E90ZeAi2T

— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) January 3, 2018

No wonder schizophrenic Steve Bannon has been walking around with a small army of bodyguards...

— MATT DRUDGE (@DRUDGE) January 3, 2018