White House plays defense after FBI testimony
FBI Director Christopher Wray on Tuesday contradicted the White House’s account of its handling of domestic abuse allegations against former top Trump aide Rob Porter, setting off a new round of controversy for the embattled administration.
In testimony on Capitol Hill, Wray said the FBI delivered its first report on Porter to the White House in March 2017, months before officials said they first learned about problems during his background check for a security clearance.
Wray told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee that the bureau “administratively closed the file” on Porter last month, undercutting claims by White House officials that the background check was “still ongoing” at the time the allegations surfaced publicly.
It’s the second time this month Wray has found himself at odds with the White House. The FBI issued a statement warning of “grave consequences” if Trump approved the release of a congressional Republican memo related to the Russia investigation, but the president allowed it to become public anyway.
The FBI chief did not discuss the contents of the reports about Porter, but his two ex-wives have said they told federal investigators in January 2017 that Porter physically abused them.
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/373743-white-house-plays-defense-after-fbi-testimony?userid=229233
