Updated at 11:50 p.m. ET
The White House's story about who knew what when about accusations of domestic violence against former White House staff secretary Rob Porter has been anything but clear.
Now, House Republicans have decided to open an investigation to get some clarity.
"I'm troubled by almost every aspect of this," House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., said on CNNTuesday morning. "How in the hell was he still employed?"
Gowdy received the support of House Speaker Paul Ryan, who said Tuesday morning that the White House "has work to do" to fix the vetting process and that the White House should "absolutely" condemn domestic violence.
Instead of condemning domestic violence, President Trump has twice seemed to defend Porter and another staffer, who resigned amid domestic abuse allegations. He tweetedon Saturday, for example, that "lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation."
The House Oversight Committee penned a letter to the White House Tuesday and released it on Twitter. It notes that FBI Director Christoper Wray appeared to contradictthe White House on its timeline on the handling of the matter — and it wants to know "what information was available to the adjudicator of Porter's interim clearance at the time it was adjudicated; who adjudicated his clearance; and what derogatory information was subsequently made available to the White House on Porter, when, and to whom."
Gowdy notes in the letter that he wants answers to those and several other questions in two weeks, by Feb. 28.
"How do you have any job if you have credible allegations of domestic abuse?" said Gowdy, who announced two weeks ago that he was not running for re-election. "Again, I am biased toward the victim."
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