House panel opens probe into ex-presidential aide

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers on Capitol Hill want to know how former presidential aide Rob Porter was allowed to work at the White House under an interim security clearance — despite allegations of spousal abuse.

Rep. Trey Gowdy, RS.C., chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent letters to the FBI and White House on Wednesday as his panel opened an investigation into the matter. Porter, the president’s staff secretary, resigned last week after his two ex-wives came forward with allegations of abuse.

House Speaker Paul Ryan was asked Wednesday about how the White House has handled the Porter allegations.

”If a person who commits domestic violence gets in the government, then there’s a breakdown in the system. There’s a breakdown in the vetting system, and that breakdown needs to be addressed.”

Ryan’s comments and word of the House probe come a day after the FBI contradicted the White House over the Porter accusations. The FBI said it gave the Trump administration information on multiple occasions last year about Porter and that the investigation wrapped up in January.

That account by FBI Director Christopher Wray challenged the White House assertion that Porter’s background “investigation was ongoing” and officials first learned the extent of accusations against him only last week, just before he abruptly resigned.

Wray’s testimony on Tuesday marked the latest development in a scandal that has called into question the judgment of senior members of the White House staff, and put new stress on the administration’s already strained credibility with the public.