Rob Porter Said Domestic Abuse Incidents Were Accidents, Report Says

According to a latest report, former White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter denied punching his first ex-wife in the face and deliberately breaking the window pane of his second ex-wife’s house, as alleged by both of them earlier this month.

White House sources, who spoke to ABC News on the condition of anonymity, said hours after allegations of sexual assault came to light, Porter was dishing out his version of events that led to his ex-wives claiming he had a violent side hidden from the public eye.

In an interview with Mail Online on Feb. 6, Jennifer Willoughby, Porter’s second ex-wife said there were a number of instances when he physically assaulted her, including dragging her naked from the shower and calling her a “f------- b----” under his breath in public settings.

In one particular instance, Willoughby recalled she was forced to file a protective order against her ex-husband in 2010 after he allegedly punched and broke a glass window and cut his hand.

Out of all the accusations, Porter rubbished the allegation he had punched a hole through the glass window. He reportedly told White House staff he was merely tapping the window in question with his index finger when his knuckles went through the glass, accidentally breaking the window.

Porter was separated from his second ex-wife at the time and had gone back to the house to collect some of his belongings. It is not clear if the former presidential aide took to tapping the glass because Willoughby refused to let him into the house.

He continued his account of the event, stating that after he had cut his hand, he went in the house to wrap the wound but was asked to leave by Willoughby, who also proceeded to alert the police.

Following the second ex-wife’s account of domestic abuse, Colbie Holderness, Porter’s first wife came forward with her own account of abuse suffered at the hands of her ex-husband in two separate interviews with CNN and the Intercept on Feb. 8, also revealing a photo in which she was visibly sporting a black eye.

Holderness claimed the photo dated back to 2005, when she and her husband were vacationing in Florence. She alleged although Porter would seldom leave a physical mark on her body during the several times he abused her, that particular instance was different, as he had punched her hard in the face.

“He only punched me once, in the eye,” Holderness told Intercept. “He threw me down on the bed and punched me in the face. I think he was shocked that he had lost control to that extent.”

However, Porter had a very different take on the incident that left his first ex-wife with a black eye. According to him, he and Holderness were fighting over a Venetian glass vase during the early years of their marriage when it happened.

“[Holderness] was ready to throw glass onto the floor to smash and they both lunged for the glass and there was a struggle,” Porter said, a couple of sources familiar with his explanation, claimed.

He said Holderness fell during the struggle and sustained the black eye and facial bruises as a result. Porter also added it was the first physical altercation he had engaged in with his first ex-wife, which was also at odds with Holderness’ claim that their honeymoon in 2003 was the first time her ex-husband physically assaulted her.