Ex-ethics chief rips Kelly over Porter scandal

The government’s former top ethics official on Thursday criticized White House chief of staff John Kelly for his recent remarks defending the top White House aide who resigned Wednesday amid allegations of domestic abuse.

“So John Kelly, often touted as the White House’s adult, falsely smeared a congresswoman, tells us a failure to compromise on slavery caused the civil war, called dreamers lazy, and protected a wife beater,” Walter Shaub, a former director of the Office of Government Ethics, tweeted.

So John Kelly, often touted as the White House’s adult, falsely smeared a congresswoman, tells us a failure to compromise on slavery caused the civil war, called dreamers lazy, and protected a wife beater. Tell us again, @PressSec, how we’re never allowed to criticize a general. https://t.co/v6NNsIHcys

— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) February 8, 2018

Kelly faced criticism on Wednesday after he said that White House staff secretary Rob Porter is a “man of true integrity and honor” and that he is “proud to serve alongside him,” despite allegations that he abused his two former spouses.

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Porter resigned on Wednesday after two ex-wives accused him of physical and emotional abuse and a photo surfaced of one of the women with a black eye. Porter has denied the allegations. 

In a statement issued late Wednesday, Kelly said that “there is no place for domestic violence in our society.” But he also said that Porter had a right to defend his reputation. 

“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,” he said. “I accepted his resignation earlier today, and will ensure a swift and orderly transition.”

Kelly, who previously served as President Trump’s Homeland Security secretary, was moved to the White House as chief of staff in July to help bring order to a chaotic West Wing. 

And while he has reportedly instilled order and established a more controlled flow of information to the president, Kelly has become the subject of controversy at times.

In October, the chief of staff came under fire for arguing that the Civil War was sparked by a “lack of an ability to compromise,” a statement that critics said glossed over the glaring role that slavery played in the war’s origins.

He also faced scrutiny this week when he said during a visit to Capitol Hill that young, undocumented immigrants eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program were either “too lazy” or “too afraid” to sign up for the program, which Trump rescinded in September.

Lawmakers face a March 5 deadline to pass a measure codifying DACA’s protections for roughly 700,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children. Kelly also said Tuesday that Trump probably would not extend that deadline.