Trump administration lost credibility from Rob Porter scandal: Karl Rove

Karl Rove, former deputy chief of staff to George W. Bush, said on Wednesday that former White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter cost the Trump administration “some credibility.”

“It gives the administration, I hate to say it, a black eye, and these were terrible instances,” Rove told FOX Business’ Trish Regan on “The Intelligence Report.”

Porter resigned from his position after his two ex-wives told the Daily Mail that he physically and emotionally abused them. On Tuesday, the House Oversight Committee opened an investigation into how Porter was able to work under an interim security clearance, while being accused of domestic violence.

“Somebody needs to be held to account, somebody should have looked at that and said this person is never going to get a clearance – he’s in one of the most sensitive jobs in the White House,” Rove said. “We may like him personally, but there are things in his background that put him at risk. He could be blackmailed over these things.”

Lawmakers are questioning how much the White House knew about the abuse allegations before they came to light.

Chief of Staff John Kelly and FBI Director Christopher Wray were both slammed by the media for their comments on the Porter case.

Kelly, who was expected to bring order to the White House, was blasted for defending Porter after the abuses first came out, while Wray was put under fire for contradicting the White House’s timeline regarding Porter’s background check.

Rove said he was shocked when the allegations against Porter, a former aide to U.S. senators, first surfaced.

“This is a man who on the Hill had an impeccable reputation for sufficiency and his leadership,” Rove said. “His father served in the administrations of several Republican presidents and is a highly respected professor at Harvard Business.”