Former Vice Presidential candidate Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) excoriated President Trump today over his remarks defending disgraced former White House staff secretary Rob Porter who resigned this week after his two ex-wives both raised allegations of domestic abuse.
Trump defended Porter in the White House today saying:
I found out about it very recently and I was surprised by it. But we certainly wish him well, obviously a tough time for him,” the president said to reporters. “He did a very good job when he was in the White House and we hope he has a wonderful, hopefully, he has a great career ahead of him.”
“He says he’s innocent, and I think you have to remember that. He said very strongly yesterday that he’s innocent. So you’ll have to talk to him about that. But we absolutely wish him well,” Trump said.
As someone himself hiding behind denials of sexual harassment accusations by multiple women, it’s telling that Trump is not only ignoring credible allegations of abuse accompanied by photos but doesn’t even condemn domestic abuse in general.
Senator Kaine, upon hearing the President’s comments, immediately took to Twitter to lambast Trump for his tone-deaf remarks.
What's "sad" is having a complete moral vacuum in the Oval Office. Domestic violence is evil, and there aren't "both sides" on this issue. Real leaders stand with survivors, not perpetrators.
— Tim Kaine (@timkaine) February 9, 2018
Kaine’s reference to “both sides” hearkens back to the President’s inability to assign blame for the violence between neo-Nazis and anti-racist protestors at the white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia earlier this year.
Trump’s refusal to condemn domestic violence in the face of graphic evidence of abuse is more than a moral vacuum. Amorality in the White House would be a welcome change from the immorality that pervades every action emanating from the Trump administration.
