Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 14 February 2018

FBI contradicts White House on probe of former aide Porter

Continued from Front Kelly found out after re-
The week-long fallout from questing an update on
the allegations against the large number of senior
Porter, President Donald staffers operating without
Trump's staff secretary, full security clearances, ac-
has thrown the West Wing cording to a senior admin-
into chaos not seen since istration official who spoke
the earliest months of the on condition of anonymity
administration and has to discuss internal discus-
sparked new rounds of sions. McGahn told Kelly
recriminations inside the last fall there was concern
White House. Privately, offi- about information in the
cials acknowledge that the background investigation
public timeline offered last involving Porter's ex-wives,
week — that the adminis- the official said, and Kelly
tration first learned of the expressed surprise that Por-
ex-wives' charges against ter had previously been
Porter last Tuesday — was married.
flawed at best. Despite that, Porter took
Several senior officials, in- on an increasingly central
cluding chief of staff John role in the West Wing and
Kelly and White House was under consideration
counsel Don McGahn, to serve as Trump's deputy
were aware of the broad chief of staff, two officials In this Nov. 29, 2017 photo, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, left, walks with White House staff
allegations against Porter said. secretary Rob Porter to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington.
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
for months, officials said. White House Press Sec-
retary Sarah Huckabee agency, in Porter's case,
Sanders told reporters Mon- the White House. Sanders
day, "The White House had maintained Tuesday that
not received any specific her statement about an
papers regarding the com- ongoing investigation was
pletion of that background accurate because Porter's
check." Yet Wray testified clearance hadn't received
Located in the Riu Antilles Resort (Formerly the Westin Resort) that the FBI sent the White a final sign-off from the
FREE TRANSPORTATION TO THE CASINO FROM ALL House its preliminary report White House Office of Per-
HIGH RISE AND LOW RISE HOTELS AND TIMESHARES. in March 2017 and its com- sonnel Security. "We find
CALL 525-7777 FOR MORE INFORMATION pleted investigation in late those statements to be con-
July. Soon after that, the sistent with one another,"
LIVE POKER agency received a request she said. The White House
for a follow-up inquiry, and has refused to divulge the
it provided that information number of staff members
GAMES START 8 PM TO THE WEE HOURS in November. Porter was who still do not have full
interviewed about the al- clearances, though the list
legations in September, an includes Jared Kushner, the
1-2.....2-5......5-5 1-3.....2-5......5-5 official said. president’s senior adviser

$100 HIGH HAND BONUSES EVERY HOUR "And then we administra- and son-in-law. Kushner’s
attorney, Abbe Lowell, said
tively closed the file in Jan-
OVER $20,000 PER WEEK GIVEN OUT IN HIGH HAND BONUSES uary, and then earlier this in a statement that “there
CRAPS month we received some are a dozen or more peo-
additional information and ple at Mr. Kushner’s level”

ONLY CASINO IN ARUBA TO OFFER 3, 4 & 5 TIME ODDS we passed that on as well," who are working without
Wray added in his congres-
full security clearances.
sional testimony Tuesday, Separately, Trump’s intelli-
SPORTSBOOK without elaboration. The gence chief called for top-
to-bottom reform of the
FBI does not make recom-
LIVE SIMULCAST OF ALL MAJOR TRACKS mendations about whether security clearance process,
to grant or deny a security which allowed Porter to
THROUGHOBRED AND HARNESS clearance, officials said, operate in his job for more
leaving the determina- than a year with only an in-
tion up to the employee's terim clearance. q