A senior White House official said Wednesday that he would resign after his two ex-wives accused him of physical and emotional abuse, with one presenting pictures of her blackened eye.

 The official, Rob Porter, served as the staff secretary, a title that belies the role’s importance in any White House — but especially in President Trump’s. Porter functioned as Chief of Staff John F. Kelly’s top enforcer in their shared mission to instill discipline and order in what had become an extraordinarily chaotic West Wing. He was the gatekeeper to the Oval Office, determining which articles and policy proposals reached the president’s hands and screening the briefing materials that his visitors shared with him.

 Aides had been aware generally of accusations against Porter since late last year, White House advisers said, but learned of the specifics late Tuesday when approached by a reporter from DailyMail.com, which first detailed many of the allegations. Porter’s ex-wives said they informed the FBI in January 2017 of their allegations against him while they were being interviewed by agents as part of Porter’s security clearance review. It was unclear when or whether the FBI informed the White House. The FBI did not respond to a request for comment.

 Porter said on Tuesday that he would resign, after the allegations were first published, people close to him say, even as he told White House officials he had never physically abused women. But he was talked out of it by Kelly and others, according to these people, with Kelly saying he believed Porter’s denials and saw him as a valuable ally in the White House. Kelly continued to press him to stay in his job Wednesday, saying he could weather the storm, but Porter decided the controversy had become too much after the photos of his ex-wife’s blackened eye appeared Wednesday morning.

 In interviews with The Washington Post and other media outlets, Porter’s ex-wives described him as having a dark side and, at times, a violent streak that White House aides say they did not see.

 Porter’s first wife, Colbie Holderness, said in an interview with The Post that he was continually abusive during their marriage. She alleged he punched her in the face during a trip to Florence in 2005 and provided photos showing her with a black eye.

 Colbie Holderness after an alleged incident with her then-husband Rob Porter in 2005. (Courtesy of Colbie Holderness/Courtesy of Colbie Holderness)

 “He threw me down and punched me in the face,” she said. Holderness said she had insisted that he take pictures of her bruised eye after the assault and he agreed. “He was trying to make it up to me, and I said I wanted evidence if this should happen again.”

 Porter denied the accusations but said he was stepping down from his job, although it was unclear when he will officially leave the White House.

 “These outrageous allegations are simply false. I took the photos given to the media nearly 15 years ago and the reality behind them is nowhere close to what is being described,” he said in a statement. “I have been transparent and truthful about these vile claims, but I will not further engage publicly with a coordinated smear campaign.”

 On Wednesday night, Kelly issued a statement condemning Porter’s alleged abuses while still expressing support for his aide.

 “I was shocked by the new allegations released today against Rob Porter. There is no place for domestic violence in our society,” Kelly said. “I stand by my previous comments of the Rob Porter that I have come to know since becoming Chief of Staff, and believe every individual deserves the right to defend their reputation. I accepted his resignation earlier today, and will ensure a swift and orderly transition.”

 Jennifer Willoughby, ex-wife of Rob Porter, on Wednesday in Alexandria, Va. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post)

 Porter’s second wife, Jennie Willoughby, received a temporary emergency protective order in Arlington in June 2010 after saying he refused to leave her residence, in violation of their separation agreement. She said he broke her window, causing his knuckles to bleed. The document, a copy of which was obtained by The Post, concludes that “reasonable grounds exist to believe that [Porter] has committed family abuse and there is probable danger of a further such offense.”

 [Read the emergency protective order against Rob Porter]

 Kathryn Hughes, a 36-year-old public relations consultant who lives in Kamas, Utah, said that in 2012, Willoughby confided in her about another violent incident, in December 2010, in which Willoughby alleged that Porter grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her from the shower during a fight. Hughes said that she and Willoughby met in 2010 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Alexandria and that they struck up a close friendship.

 “She told me that he had been screaming at her while she was in the shower and yanked her out and bruised her,” Hughes said in an interview with The Post, corroborating Willoughby’s account. “She also told me he was verbally abusive, and I witnessed some of that.”

 Willoughby and Holderness said they talked to the FBI about Porter twice last year, once in late January and then again months later. Willoughby provided the contact information for the FBI agent she spoke with, who declined to comment when reached Wednesday. Holderness said that when the FBI asked her whether Porter was vulnerable to blackmail, she answered affirmatively, because of the number of people aware of his abusive behavior.

 “I thought by sharing my story with the FBI he wouldn’t be put in that post,” Holderness said. “I’m telling the FBI this is what he’s done, and Jennie Willoughby is telling them what he’s done, and the White House says, sure, this is okay? I was let down by that.”

 Willoughby said Porter angrily called her when she wrote a blog post about him in April — without naming him — and asked her to remove it, concerned about his image. She said Porter demanded again in the fall that she take down the blog post, citing delays in his security clearance. In January, he asked her again to take it down, she said, telling her that reporters were looking into his past.

 “He has never faced repercussions that forced him to confront his issues,” Willoughby said in an interview Wednesday at an Alexandria restaurant. “I care about him and want what’s best for him, but that doesn’t necessarily mean him keeping his job, because he needs to face these underlying issues.”

 White House officials said early Wednesday that Porter could continue working for several weeks, but as the backlash grew Wednesday night, a senior White House official said he was expected to leave within 48 hours. Porter is an ally of Kelly, and in addition to serving as staff secretary, he oversaw and sought to streamline the White House’s policymaking process, working with Cabinet members and other agency officials and leading meetings about issues including immigration and trade. He played an integral role in crafting Trump’s State of the Union address last month.

 Kelly saw in Porter a partner in professionalizing the operation. Porter is one of the few senior White House staffers with past government experience, having served as chief of staff to Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah). Though many of his colleagues have eclectic backgrounds, Porter boasts a classic pedigree as a Harvard University-educated Rhodes scholar whose father, Roger B. Porter, held senior positions in the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush White Houses.

 In a White House known for its ever-evolving personnel dramas, Porter kept a low profile, only rarely agreeing to be interviewed on the record and never appearing as a surrogate on television.

 But he was a highly visible figure in Trump’s orbit. He was seemingly omnipresent in the Oval Office for key meetings and events, and regularly traveled with the president — often being one of only a handful of aides to accompany him on the Marine One helicopter before joining the larger staff entourage aboard Air Force One. When Trump spent weekends at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida or his Bedminster golf course in New Jersey, Porter often was along for the trip, tending to the president’s needs and briefing him on developments.

 When the allegations were published Tuesday, the White House mobilized to defend Porter.

 White House communications director Hope Hicks is dating Porter, according to people familiar with the relationship, and was involved in the White House’s defense of Porter on Tuesday evening. “Rob Porter is a man of true integrity and honor and I can’t say enough good things about him,” Kelly said in a statement Tuesday night. “He is a friend, a confidante and a trusted professional. I am proud to serve alongside him.”

 The White House also distributed a statement from Hatch defending Porter. “It’s incredibly discouraging to see such a vile attack on such a decent man,” Hatch said in a statement. After the release of the photos of Holderness’s bruised eye, Hatch released a new statement.

 “I am heartbroken by today’s allegations. In every interaction I’ve had with Rob, he has been courteous, professional, and respectful,” he said. “My staff loved him and he was a trusted advisor. I do not know the details of Rob’s personal life. Domestic violence in any form is abhorrent. I am praying for Rob and those involved.”

 Porter’s most recent ex-girlfriend, who also works in the administration, reached out to the White House last year to express her concerns about him after she discovered his relationship with Hicks, according to a senior administration official. She told the White House counsel’s office about allegations from his ex-wives, this person said. That development was first reported by Politico.

 The decision by Kelly and other top White House aides to defend Porter from domestic-violence allegations is in keeping with Trump’s modus operandi. Throughout his life, Trump has refused to apologize for alleged misdeeds, believing any such concession to be an admission of guilt and a sign of weakness.

 During the 2016 campaign, more than a dozen women accused Trump of sexual harassment and assault, but the then-candidate denied them all outright. He fought back against the accusers, calling the women liars and even threatening to sue some of them.

 Trump’s posture and inclinations have shaped the culture of the West Wing, where aides often hunker down and try to fight back against accusations or scrutiny from the media or other outside forces.

 Asked Wednesday whether Trump had any concerns about the allegations against Porter or with the photos of Holderness, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, “I don’t know.”

 Vice President Pence, who is travelling in Asia, said he was unaware of any of the allegations against Porter until he learned of them Wednesday while in Tokyo.

 Porter had a reputation in the building for his fastidious work and was liked by the president, who sometimes rages at other aides. His ex-wives said that Porter directed his abusive behavior toward them in private.

 “In my experience, his anger and his lashing out is very much limited to intimate, personal romantic relationships,” Willoughby said. “He has the ability to compartmentalize and maintain his integrity and professionalism at work. . . . He is charming and intelligent and fun and chivalrous and — in capital letters — angry and deeply flawed.”

 Willoughby, a writer and former high school teacher, said she was unaware of the abuse alleged by Porter’s first wife while she was with him. But Holderness reached out to her through Facebook in late January 2017 after she was contacted by the FBI and anticipating the background-check interview.

 The two met for lunch in Arlington in March and shared their stories — months before they were contacted by reporters and shared those stories publicly this week.

 Philip Rucker, Tom Jackman and Ashley Parker contributed to this report. ||||| Rob Porter has resigned from his role as White House staff secretary after his first ex-wife told DailyMail.com that he choked and punched her during their marriage.

 Colbie Holderness, 37, who is a senior analyst for the U.S. government, spoke on the record to DailyMail.com about her five-year marriage to Porter, detailing physical and mental abuse.

 She said he broke down her confidence so badly with his verbal and emotional abuse that she took an extended leave of absence from grad school.

 Holderness's revelations follow DailyMail.com's exclusive interview on Tuesday evening with Porter's second wife, Jennifer Willoughby.

 She told how Porter, 40, once dragged her wet and naked out of the shower and was verbally abusive, calling her a f***ing b***h' on their honeymoon.

 The White House initially gave Porter its full support. But just hours after the second set of revelations, Porter resigned while still protesting his innocence.

 'These outrageous allegations are simply false. I took the photos given to the media nearly 15 years ago and the reality behind them is nowhere close to what is being described,' Porter said in a statement Wednesday.

 'I have been transparent and truthful about these vile claims, but I will not further engage publicly with a coordinated smear campaign.

 'My commitment to public service speaks for itself. I have always put duty to country first and treated others with respect. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have served in the Trump Administration and will seek to ensure a smooth transition when I leave the White House.'

 SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

 Colbie Holderness married Porter in June 2003 at New College Chapel in Oxford, England where Porter was attending as a Rhodes scholar

 Holderness, 37, who is a senior analyst for the U.S. government, spoke on the record to DailyMail.com about her five-year marriage following the on-the-record allegations by Rob Porter's second wife, Jennifer Willoughby

 Colbie tells DailyMail.com that while she and Porter were on a vacation in Florence, Italy, a couple of years after they married in the early 2000s, Porter punched her in the face

 Porter, 40, has been described as one of the most important players in Trump's daily Oval Office orbit, and helped him write last week's State of the Union Address

 Hope Hicks, 29, was seen leaving her D.C. apartment with White House Staff Secretary Porter 10 days ago

 On Wednesday White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders refused to comment on his security clearance, however, and dodged a question about why President Trump would accept his resignation even though the White House had emphasized the trust and faith the administration had in Porter.

 'As has always been our policy when it comes to security clearances, we don't comment on them. I'm not going to change that today,' she said.

 'I can tell you that Rob has been an effective in his role as staff secretary. The president and chief of staff have full confidence and trust in his abilities and his performance.'

 Sanders then read Porter's full statement on air before adding: 'He is going to be leaving the White House. It won't be immediate. But he is resigning from the White House but is going to stay on to ensure that there's a smooth transition moving forward.'

 The two sets of revelations have stunned the White House and led to a dramatic exit for Porter.

 In 2010, Jennifer Willoughby – Porter's second ex-wife – filed a protective order against him after he violated their separation agreement and refused to leave their apartment.

 Rob Porter is a man of true integrity and honor and I can't say enough good things about him. He is a friend, a confidante and a trusted professional. I am proud to serve alongside him. Chief of Staff John Kelly after being contacted by DailyMail.com Feb. 6

 According to a complaint filed with the police, he punched the glass on the door to their home, cutting his hand in the process.

 And Porter's first ex-wife, Holderness, revealed to DailyMail.com that she was interviewed by the FBI – as was Willoughby – about their marriage after Porter was tapped for his current White House position as staff secretary. Porter required a security clearance – which he has not received.

 Holderness shared the photos of her injuries with the FBI, photos pictured in this story.

 Last week, DailyMail.com revealed that Porter, who is Mormon, and White House Director of Communications Hope Hicks are dating, and were seen kissing in a cab on the way back to her apartment from a bar.

 When reached for comment about second wife Jennifer Willoughby's story, before he had resigned, Porter told DailyMail.com: 'I will not comment about these matters, beyond stating that many of these allegations are slanderous and simply false.'

 White House Chief of Staff John Kelly issued an official statement late Wednesday saying: 'I was shocked by the new allegations released today against Rob Porter. There is no place for domestic violence in our society.

 'I stand by my previous comments of the Rob Porter that I have come to know since becoming Chief of Staff, and believe every individual deserves the right to defend their reputation. I accepted his resignation earlier today, and will ensure a swift and orderly transition.'

 Kelly had earlier in the day fiercely backed Porter.

 'Rob Porter is a man of true integrity and honor and I can't say enough good things about him. He is a friend, a confidante and a trusted professional. I am proud to serve alongside him,' he said.

 But, rather than being a man of integrity, first wife Colbie says Porter is 'a bit of a monster' and has displayed a pattern of abuse with women.

 'I was his first wife and it wasn't until there was a second wife and then a long-time girlfriend reaching out to me, who was experiencing some weird things. I started to realize that he keeps getting away with it. It's a pattern now, it hasn't gone away.'

 Colbie, whose maiden name is Paulson, met Porter at a Mormon church in 2000 while she was attending Wellesley to double major in American studies and political science. Porter was attending Harvard to study government.

 Her first impressions were that he was 'charming and charismatic.'

 'Rob is very intelligent – that's what drew me to him,' she said. 'We had a mutual interest in government and public policy. We seemed to be well paired. We got to know each other a little bit at church but he quickly asked me out and we became a couple. We became very serious, very quickly but it was rocky.

 'He was never physical with me while we were dating and now I see there were red flags, left and right. He was verbally abusive and emotionally abusive all during that time, which I understand now, and we were fighting a lot.

 'He would belittle me constantly about my weight, my sexiness, how good I looked to him or didn't look to him.

 'He would always be checking out other women very obviously and would often compare me to other women.

 'He was never physical with me while we were dating,' Colbie told DailyMail.com, 'and now I see there were red flags, left and right. He was verbally abusive and emotionally abusive all during that time, which I understand now, and we were fighting a lot

 Colby told DailyMail.com: 'I remember crying all through my wedding day, not sure if I wanted to go through with it. But we were already over in England, everybody had flown over there and it was a very high-pressure situation for a 23-year-old and so I went through with it'

 Says Colbie: 'We were arguing and he punched me in the face. He left visible marks when he punched me and I have pictures of that. I didn't go the police because I was scared, I was in Italy alone and I didn't know what to do.'

 Holderness said that she never went to the police in the U.S. because she did not think that she would be believed

 'Our relationship went on for three years until I graduated from college and then we got married two weeks later.'

 The wedding was in June 2003 at New College Chapel in Oxford, England where Porter was attending as a Rhodes scholar.

 Consistent with the practice of past administrations, issues related to an individual's suitability are reviewed through a thorough and lengthy background check process. Background checks involve a complex investigation run by intelligence and law enforcement agencies. As has always been our policy, we do not comment on security clearances. Rob Porter has been effective in his role as Staff Secretary. The President and Chief of Staff have full confidence in his abilities and his performance. Sarah Sanders, Febraury 7

 Holderness said: 'I remember crying all through my wedding day, not sure if I wanted to go through with it. But we were already over in England, everybody had flown over there and it was a very high-pressure situation for a 23-year-old and so I went through with it.

 'But he was never physically abusive until our honeymoon and that floored me.'

 The incident happened after the couple had arrived on their honeymoon in the Canary Islands.

 Holderness said: 'It was a really odd thing that he did. He was angry because we weren't having sex when he wanted to have sex and he kicked me.

 'It seems such a juvenile thing at the time, but I remember thinking about words my mother had told me when it happened.

 'She had passed away before I graduated from college. She told me that she had once warned my father that if he ever hit her, she would leave him.

 'My father never did anything like that because he's a very good man – but I remember those words passing through my head right after Rob kicked me. I was thinking, 'What do I do? I just got married.'

 'It was a kick which, although it hurt, was ridiculous at the same time. That was the first time he hurt me and then the doors opened. I didn't do anything and it continued.'

 Jennifer Willoughby, the second wife of President Trump's staff secretary Rob Porter, spoke on the record to DailyMail.com about her abusive marriage

 The physical abuse escalated from there.

 Holderness, who has remarried, said: 'In a sense I couldn't believe it was happening to me – I was a well-educated woman, he was well-educated man, we came from good families. It just didn't seem real, I think I was in denial.

 'At times, the way he would be physically violent with me was very odd. He would throw me down on the bed, then put his full body weight on top of me, then grind a knee or elbow into my body, expressing rage.

 'It was scary but it wasn't like it was life-threatening. For years, I would go to Mormon bishops and I would try to find the words to explain what was going on but I was at a loss beyond the explanation that he got physical with me.'

 The violence escalated to where Porter was choking his wife.

 'It was not hard enough for me to pass out but it was scary, humiliating and dehumanizing,' she said.

 'It wasn't until I went to a secular counsellor at my work place one summer and told him what was going on that he was the first person, and not a male religious leader, who told me that what was happening was not okay.'

 While on a vacation in Florence, Italy, a couple of years after they married, Holderness said that Porter punched her in the face.

 Utah senator walks back support of Trump aide accused of wife-beating Rob Porter, who resigned his position on February 7, 2018 as White House staff secretary, initially received strong backing from his former boss, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, following accusations that Porter was abusive toward one of his ex-wives. But that support seemed to evaporate when the second ex came forward with photos that she said showed a black eye Porter gave her. Porter was Hatch's chief of staff from March 2014 until he came to the White House on Inauguration Day. In an exclusive statement to DailyMail.com on February 6, Hatch said that it was 'incredibly discouraging to see such a vile attack on such a decent man. Shame on any publication that would print this — and shame on the politically motivated, morally bankrupt character assassins that would attempt to sully a man's good name.' Utah Senator Orrin Hatch softened his support for Rob Porter in the hours between his first statement of solidarity and Porter's resignation from the White House 'I know Rob. I've known him for years, both as a close friend and as a personal advisor,' Hatch continued at the time. 'He is kind and considerate towards all.' 'The country needs more honest, principled people like Rob Porter, which is why I hope that this cynical campaign to discredit his character ultimately fails.' Less than 15 hours later, however, after DailyMail.com published the black-eye photos and Porter resigned his position, Hatch backpedaled and said he didn't know what Porter may have done in the years before he knew him. 'I am heartbroken by today's allegations,' Hatch said in a statement to reporters. 'In every interaction I've had with Rob, he has been courteous, professional, and respectful. My staff loved him and he was a trusted advisor.' I do not know the details of Rob's personal life. Domestic violence in any form is abhorrent and unacceptable. I am praying for Rob and those involved,' he said. White House Chief of Staff John Kelly hasn't wavered in his support for Porter, whom he reportedly urged to stay. In a statement to DailyMail.com on February 6, he said that 'Rob Porter is a man of true integrity and honor and I can't say enough good things about him.' 'He is a friend, a confidante [sic] and a trusted professional. I am proud to serve alongside him.' White House Chief of Staff John Kelly complained in October 2017 that women were no longer held as 'sacred' in America, but as the Porter scandal unfolded he called the accused spousal abuser 'a man of true integrity and honor' But in October 2017 the retired U.S. Marine Corps general lectured the White House press corps, complaining that women were no longer 'sacred' in America. 'When I was a kid growing up, a lot of things were sacred in our country,' he said then. 'Women were sacred and looked upon with great honor.' 'That’s obviously not the case anymore, as we see from recent cases.' Kelly spoke just days after the #MeToo movement took off with sexual abuse allegations against the now-disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein. Statements from White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders also semed to evolve as the story grew in intensity and Porter was forced out. 'I have worked directly with Rob Porter nearly every day for the last year and the person I know is someone of the highest integrity and exemplary character,' Sanders said on February 6. 'Those of us who have the privilege of knowing him are better people because of it.' In her office after she announced Porter's resignation, Sanders said that 'of course' the Trump White House condemned domestic violence of any kind. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders insisted that 'of course' the administration condemns domestic violence of all kinds, but wouldn't commit to whether she believes Porter or his two ex-wives Sanders wouldn't, however, say that the White House sided with Porter's ex-wives or believed their accounts of his behavior. 'It's not a matter of "believe" or "don't believe",' she told DailyMail.com, straddling both sides of what had become a heated dispute between a trusted colleague and the women who claimed he abused them. 'I hurt for anyone who's experienced anything like that – I haven't – in whatever degree. But at the same time I can only talk about my personal experience and interactions,' she said.

 Colbie, here with her current husband, confirmed that she had also been interviewed by the FBI about her marriage after Porter was tapped for his current White House position and required security clearance which he has not received

 'We were arguing and he punched me in the face. He left visible marks when he punched me and I have pictures of that. I didn't go the police because I was scared, I was in Italy alone and I didn't know what to do.'

 Holderness said that she never went to the police in the U.S. because she did not think that she would be believed.

 'I did move out several times because of the abuse. We spent big chunks of our marriage apart. I would keep going back until enough was enough. I could feel myself slipping away as a person.'

 She said that others had seen the warning signs but not realized the depth of abuse that she was going through.

 'Speaking to friends and family later, it was clear to people that Rob had a temper. He would be very cruel and mean but he was never physically abusive towards anybody else and no one saw it happen to me.

 'He knew he had me in a vulnerable position and he could behave that way in private. But he was smart enough and careful enough to never behave that way in public but people did see his anger issues at various times.'

 'During the first year of the marriage we were in England and then I took in a job back in Idaho in my home state and was so relieved to get away. He would visit me there but I just remembered thinking that the job would give me the space and distance to think. We both went back to graduate school at Harvard and were living upstairs from his parents, who were masters at Dunster House.

 'We were living up in the old servants quarters during the first year of graduate school and the abuse continued. So I moved out the next summer and got my own place for the entire second year of graduate school.

 Rob Porter and Hope Hicks were seen smiling and laughing over drinks as they enjoyed each other's company at Rosa Mexicano in Washington D.C., hours before they went home together

 Colbie, as her black eye was healing and Colbie today. She has remarried and says it took her years to recover her confidence and sense of self.

 'Then he talked me into coming back after that year so I moved back in with him.

 'He would insult my intelligence because he knew that was important to me and it is important to him. He would call me a 'f***ing idiot', say 'you are so stupid, you are so dumb, you cannot do anything.'

 'I was so distraught and my confidence was so broken that part way through the second year of my graduate program I had to take a leave of absence, go to all my professors and tell them that my marriage was a nightmare and I needed more time to compete my degree and essentially dropped out of school.

 'I did finish it after the divorce and I had recovered a bit. I was just broken and its taken me years to recover my confidence and sense of self.

 'Pretty shortly after that I cut off all contact with him [Porter] and really haven't talked to him since – with a few exceptions. He would track me down occasionally until I finally had to mail a letter to his parents and say, 'please leave me alone I've asked nicely – it's going to be a problem if he doesn't.'

 'Rob might be a bit a monster but he's very smart. I think he knew that was a liability for him if he continued with that behavior. He's not that obsessive.'

 On Tuesday, DailyMail.com spoke with Porter's second ex-wife, Jennifer Willoughy. They were married from 2009 until 2013.

 Willoughby, 39, said she was 'walking on eggshells' during their marriage due to his explosive anger.

 The public speaker and writer claims that on December 22, 2010, Porter pulled her naked from the shower by the shoulders and yelled at her. She refused to join his family on a vacation after that.

 Willoughby said : '[It happened] just after our first anniversary. I cannot remember what the fight was about but I excused myself in a way that was typical at that time. I certainly was not meek and mild and said, 'I'm not going to fight you anymore' and stormed off and went to take a shower.

 'He was not done fighting with me. It was a glass shower door, he opened it and dragged me by my shoulders out of the shower to yell. Immediately upon seeing my reaction to that, he released me and apologized but it doesn't take away that he was angry enough that that happened.'

 The couple had married over Thanksgiving 2009 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They took a short honeymoon over the Christmas break in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where Willoughby said he verbally abused her.

 She said: 'I can't remember what triggered it. He lashed out and was really angry and both under his breath and explicitly to me called me a 'f***ing b***h' and 'f***ing ridiculous'. He accused me of not caring about him or his needs.

 During the taxi ride the secret lovers could be seen cuddling in the back seat. One eyewitness said Porter could be seen kissing Hope's neck

 Hope exits the taxi while Rob pays for the ride before they both enter her D.C. apartment at the end of the evening

 '[The honeymoon] was spent with me trying not to make him upset.'

 She added: 'In the first weeks and months, his explanation for his anger was that his first marriage had been very toxic, rooted in arguments, accusations and manipulation and he was carrying over from that relationship.

 'He would say that he was so used to being treated this way by his ex-wife that he was projecting that on to me. That was the explanation.'

 Several months into the marriage, Willoughby filed a protective order with a court in Alexandria, Virginia, after Porter violated their temporary separation agreement.

 A police complaint, filed on June 19, 2010, states that Porter punched the glass on the door to their home, cutting his hand in the process at which point she called the police. He then left and following that she filed a temporary protective order.

 Willoughby said: 'My experience of our entire marriage was being with a man who could be both charming and romantic and fun - and even thoughtful and kind; and horribly angry and manipulative.

 'It was the duality of both of those things existing at the same time and not necessarily knowing what in his life would trigger the anger; or what in his life would draw out the kindness and the chivalry. That's a crazy-making space for a spouse to be in, that I somehow have no control over the quality of my relationship.

 'The terminology is 'walking on eggshells' – you don't know which man is going to walk in the door. Or you don't know what seemingly innocuous comment is going to be interpreted differently.

 'I had a friend's daughter over to carve pumpkins for Halloween and he sulked and pouted and didn't join us. And of course after she left, he was angry – 'why would I have someone over, why would you help her [my friend] out when she could be doing this herself?' There was no rational explanation as to why that would make him angry at that particular moment.'

 Willoughby said that she felt manipulated throughout the marriage.

 WHY I STAYED by Jennifer Willoughby: Rob Porter's second ex-wife reveals why she stayed in their 'abusive' marriage On April 24, 2017, Jennifer Willoughby wrote a blog about her marriage, but she did not name Porter. Willoughby tells DailyMail.com that Porter called her last year and demanded she take down her blog posts. The first time he called me a 'f*****g bitch' was on our honeymoon. (I found out years later he had kicked his first wife on theirs.) A month later he physically prevented me from leaving the house. Less than two months after that, I filed a protective order with the police because he punched in the glass on our front door while I was locked inside. We bought a house to make up for it. Just after our one year anniversary, he pulled me, naked and dripping, from the shower to yell at me. Everyone loved him. People commented all the time how lucky I was. Strangers complimented him to me every time we went out. But in my home, the abuse was insidious. The threats were personal. The terror was real. And yet I stayed. Jennifer Willoughby When I tried to get help, I was counseled to consider carefully how what I said might affect his career. And so I kept my mouth shut and stayed. I was told, yes, he was deeply flawed, but then again so was I. And so I worked on myself and stayed. If he was a monster all the time, perhaps it would have been easier to leave. But he could be kind and sensitive. And so I stayed. He cried and apologized. And so I stayed. He offered to get help and even went to a few counseling sessions and therapy groups. And so I stayed. He belittled my intelligence and destroyed my confidence. And so I stayed. I felt ashamed and trapped. And so I stayed. Friends and clergy didn't believe me. And so I stayed. I was pregnant. And so I stayed. I lost the pregnancy and became depressed. And so I stayed. Abuse is indifferent to education level, socio-economic status, race, age, or gender. And no one can ever know the dynamics of another's relationship. My cycle continued for four more years. Afterward, I let go and welcomed the hard work of healing and forgiveness. My experience made me stronger and able to love more deeply. But my heart breaks for him. In the end, who is the real victim of his choices?

 'He's very intelligent, extremely good with his words and is a lawyer by profession and is able to take words that I had said and use them in a way that it would confuse me as to what I meant,' she told DailyMail.com.

 'He would challenge my intelligence or a statement that I had made by implying that I couldn't have possibly come up with it on my own and that I must have been influenced by someone.

 'I would start to doubt myself. He was using words against me. It was his norm in dealing with behavior he didn't like.'

 Willoughby said that she still believes that Porter was a capable of his White House role as staff secretary, a close aide to President Trump.

 'I want to be very clear when I say this,' Willoughby said. 'I don't want to be married to him. I would not recommend anyone to date him or marry him. But I definitely want him in the White House and the position he is in. I think his integrity and ability to do his job is impeccable. And the majority of the issues he suffers from are very personal and intimate.'

 Willoughby said that she never saw Rob take his anger out on other people - 'not even road rage' – but that it was all behind closed doors.

 'That was something that was interesting to me, from a case study perspective. It does seem to be very much focused in an intimate, romantic relationship. It's almost as though the anger that could have been placed on his father was placed on the romantic partner.'

 'Fairly soon after New Year in 2010, I started seeing a therapist and requested that Rob see a therapist because I was so distressed about his anger,' she revealed.

 'I also had met with a bishop in the Mormon Church about his anger. It came to a head and in February or March 2010. I was so worn down and exhausted by the anger that I requested we have a separation.

 'I never received specific threats from Rob, he was just often angry and it was oppressive. I started to take on the blame and the weight of his lack of self-worth.

 'Over the course of the years of our marriage, I can think of several times where I was collapsing on the ground in tears and saying, ''just leave me alone, just stop'' because the anger and the insults were too much.

 Willoughby told DailyMail.com that she had a miscarriage at six weeks pregnant towards the end of their marriage. 'The stress of being pregnant in that marriage was hard and then the shame and depression of not being pregnant anymore was also hard,' she said

 '[He would say] that I was worthless, that I was a liar. This is not one instance, these are things that he might have said in a rage. That I always got my way, that I was selfish, that I didn't care about him, about his needs. Any version of those types of statements, heard enough times, with enough force behind them are devastating.'

 She had a miscarriage at six weeks pregnant towards the end of their marriage.

 'The stress of being pregnant in that marriage was hard and then the shame and depression of not being pregnant anymore was also hard,' she said.

 The couple divorced in 2013 after several trial separations and attending counselling and therapy.

 Since her marriage ended, she left her job as a high school science teacher and has become a full-time writer, educational speaker and motivational coach.

 She had written a number of blog posts referring to her marriage - but not using names.

 Willoughby told DailyMail.com that Porter called her last year and demanded she take down her blog posts that referred to their marriage.

 He asked her what she had told the FBI about their relationship during her interview with the agency over his security clearance in February 2017.

 Willoughby also told DailyMail.com that she received a message from Porter's previous girlfriend, before Hicks, telling her that Rob was considering hiring a private investigator to look into her and 'employ' a journalist to write about her.

 DailyMail.com could not reach Porter's ex-girlfriend for comment.

 Porter is a Massachusetts-born Harvard graduate who went to the Ivy League school with presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner.

 He also went to Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar and spent two years as a Mormon missionary in London.

 Before being tapped to join the new administration, he had been chief of staff for veteran Utah Senator Orrin Hatch. He has also worked for Republican senators Rob Portman of Ohio and Mike Lee of Utah.

 His job has been described as one of the most important in the Oval Office as he, working with Chief of Staff John Kelly, controls the information that reaches the president.

 'Porter, a little-known White House aide who has avoided getting caught up in any of the West Wing drama that has plagued the administration for the better part of seven months, serves to review everything before it makes it to the president's desk,' Business Insider wrote in September.

 'Given how the president has shared dubious information at times when aides have presented him with reports from less-than-credible sources, Porter's role has an outsized importance,' the paper added.

 'Talk to people who worked with him in the past, and they'll repeatedly mention his intelligence, experience, and team-first attitude.'

 Porter was seen opening the door as the couple returned to Hope's D.C. apartment after their dinner

 The couple's time at Hope's apartment after dinner comes after they were seen at a church service in early January and prayed together even though they come from different religions. Porter is a Mormon while Hicks is Roman Catholic

 His father, Roger Porter, was an aide to President George H.W. Bush.

 Hope Hicks, 29, and Porter had doing their best to keep their romance under wraps when they were spotted together with friends at low-key restaurant Rosa Mexicano near downtown Washington two weeks ago.

 They did not show any sign of affection and did not sit next to each other at the restaurant.

 But the moment they got in the cab to go back to Hicks' D.C. apartment they started cuddling and kissing in the back seat.

 As soon as the taxi took off they both moved from their sides of the cab to the middle. Rob was kissing Hope's neck all the way home,' an eyewitness to the red-hot White House couple said.

 Porter had been living with a willowy blonde political appointee, sources say before he began dating Hicks.

 Public records document that the woman was living in his apartment in Arlington, Virginia.

 The woman split with Porter around Thanksgiving, a White House source tells DailyMailTV exclusively.

 Senator Orrin Hatch, commented: 'It's incredibly discouraging to see such a vile attack on such a decent man. Shame on any publication that would print this—and shame on the politically motivated, morally bankrupt character assassins that would attempt to sully a man's good name.

 'I know Rob. I've known him for years, both as a close friend and as a personal advisor. He is kind and considerate towards all. The country needs more honest, principled people like Rob Porter, which is why I hope that this cynical campaign to discredit his character ultimately fails.' |||||
What is a one-paragraph summary of the above article?

– Influential White House staff secretary Rob Porter resigned Wednesday in the wake of reports he physically abused two ex-wives, reports that he maintains are "vile" and "simply false." The claims come via Colbie Holderness (who married Porter in 2003) and Jennifer Willoughby (who married him in 2009). The Washington Post reports White House staffers knew vaguely of the situation as of late 2017, but only heard the alleged details when contacted Tuesday by a reporter from the Daily Mail, which first reported the women's story. But Holderness and Willoughby say they did tell the FBI what happened in January 2017. "I thought by sharing my story with the FBI he wouldn’t be put in that post," Holderness says, explaining that she voiced concerns he could be blackmailed because of the number of people who knew about her situation.


Bob Sharp with the Ohio State Fire Marshall's office stands near a home after a deadly fire in Youngstown, Ohio, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Authorities report that several children died in the fire. (William... (Associated Press)

 Bob Sharp with the Ohio State Fire Marshall's office stands near a home after a deadly fire in Youngstown, Ohio, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Authorities report that several children died in the fire. (William D. Lewis/The Vindicator via AP) (Associated Press)

 YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) — Five children, including 1-year-old twins, died in a late-night fire that swept through a house after neighbors were awakened by a loud boom, firefighters said.

 The only survivor was the children's mother, who jumped out of a second-floor window Sunday night, according to Youngstown Fire Capt. Kurt Wright.

 The other three children who died were ages 9, 3 and 2, he said.

 State and local investigators were just beginning to search for a cause of the deadly blaze. Fire officials said so far, there's nothing that indicates the fire was suspicious.

 Most of the damage was on the home's first floor, leading investigators to believe that's where the fire started, Wright said.

 Deborah Rivera, who lives across the street, told the Youngstown Vindicator she heard a loud boom and called 911. Her boyfriend, Justin Viera, said flames were shooting out of the first-floor windows.

 Neighbors told WFMJ-TV the family had just moved into the house about six months ago. The two-story wood home was built more than 90 years ago.

 "We have a relatively young department and most the guys have children. So it hits pretty hard and the fact that it's so close to Christmas hits even harder," said Youngstown Fire Chief Barry Finley.

 Firefighters found flames throughout the home's first floor when they arrived and were able to pull out three of the children, but they died at a hospital, Wright said.

 The mother was taken to a hospital and is being treated for injuries, he said.

 One firefighter was treated at the scene and another was taken to a hospital for treatment and released.

 A memorial to the children was beginning to grow outside the home

 Melissa Thomas did not know the victims, but stopped with her daughters Elissa and Marissa Simione to drop off stuffed animals in honor of the children.

 "I got two kids," she said. "I can't imagine five." ||||| YOUNGSTOWN — A fire that killed five children late Sunday was accidental, said city Fire Investigator Capt. Kurt Wright.

 Fatal Youngstown Fire Video Video Five people died in a Youngstown house fire early today.

 The fire at 434 Parkcliffe Ave. started on the first floor, Wright said.

 Wright also said the mother of the five children is hospitalized after she managed to get out of the home after it caught fire about 11:30 p.m Sunday.

 Wright would not comment on where the children were found.

 He said he did not want to comment on a cause until tests are completed by the state fire marshals office, which is assisting in the investigation, but at this point it appears to not be suspicious, he said.

 Five children, ages 9, 3, 2 and two 1-year-old twins, were killed in the blaze.

 Wright and members of the state fire marshals office just arrived to begin their investigation.

 A neighbor called 911 and alerted authorities about the fire. The mother reportedly jumped out of a window and told firefighters at the scene that five children were still inside the burning home.

 Deborah Rivera, a neighbor across the street, said she was awakened by a boom and called 911.

 The mother was in a vacant lot next to the house in nothing but her underwear, Rivera said.

 Her boyfriend, Justin Viera, said flames were shooting out of the first floor windows.

 "It was blazing," Rivera said.

 Firefighters were able to get three of the five children out of the structure. Those children were given CPR and they – along with their mother – were taken to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital.

 Melissa Thomas does not even know the victims, but she stopped with her daughters Elissa and Marissa Simione to drop off stuffed animals in honor of them.

 "I got two kids," she said. "I can't imagine five."

 Rev. Lewis Macklin, a police chaplain, said he will be meeting today with city Councilwoman Anita Davis, D-6th, and others, to plan ways to raise funds for the family.

 He said he hopes a plan can be put together soon to help them out.

 Davis, whose ward includes Parkcliffe, went to the scene of the fire after hearing the news about it.

 She said it was a tragedy that five young children died in the fire.

 "I hope the young lady [the mother] has family around her that will embrace her and hold her and love her and give her the support she needs," Davis said.

 Also on the scene is Bob Sharp, a former city fire investigator who now works for the state fire marshal's office. Wright said there were working smoke detectors in the home and they were going off when fire crews arrived.

 The fire is the most deadly in Youngstown since a Jan. 23, 2008, arson at 1645 Stewart Ave. that claimed the lives of two adults and four children. Five people were able to escape that blaze.

 That fire, unlike the late Sunday one, was intentionally set with an accelerant poured on the front porch. The motive for that fire was a dispute over a cell phone.

 The 1,300-square-foot house in the Newport neighborhood of the South Side was a two-story ranch with three bedrooms. The single-family house was built in 1924 and was last sold for $10,000 in September 2013, according to zillow.com.

 The owners of the house are Lindsey Maggie and Lindsey Henry of Campbell, according to the Mahoning County auditor's website.The house's value was $7,930, according to the website. ||||| Officials have confirmed the identities of the five children killed in a late night fire on Sunday.

 The five children were killed after a house at 434 Parkcliffe Avenue caught fire around 11:30 p.m.

 The Mahoning County Coroner's Office confirms the children are Aleysha Rosario (9), Charles Gunn (3), Ly'Asia Gunn (2), and Brianna and Arianna Negron (1).

 Their mother 26-year-old, America Negron Acevedo, has been transferred to MetroHealth's Burn Center in Cleveland where she is receiving medical treatment.

 Acevedo's mother says she is sedated and unconscious, after suffering from burns and inhaling smoke.

 Acevedo's family says she is unaware of what is going on.

 A MetroHealth spokesperson says Acevedo is in "stable but critical" condition.

 A neighbor reportedly called 9-1-1 and alerted authorities to the blaze.

 Sources tell 21 News, Acevedo reportedly jumped out of a window and told firefighters at the scene that five children were still inside the burning home.

 Acevedo's mother says her daughter tried her best to rescue the children.

 Firefighters battled flames at the front part of the home and then immediately searched for the children, who are said to age nine, three, two and one-year-old twins.

 Rescuers were able to get three of the five children out of the structure. Those children were given CPR and they, along with Acevedo, were taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown.

 The three children that were pulled from the house by rescuers later died at St. Elizabeth due to their injuries.

 21 News was also told that two Youngstown firefighters were injured, one was taken to the hospital and another one was treated on scene.

 Fire Chief Barry Finley says one of those firefighters suffered a cut to the chin. However, the second firefighter was inside the home when a ceiling collapsed on top of him.

 Finley says that firefighter suffered second-degree burns on his back after embers found their way down the back of his firefighting gear.

 Both firefighters were treated and released.

 Firefighters on scene said the images they saw that night are something they will never forget and especially weigh on them knowing that Christmas is only two weeks away.

 “It's extremely hard,” said Youngstown Fire Chief Barry Finley. “We have a relatively young department and most the guys have children. So it hits pretty hard and the fact that it's so close to Christmas hits even harder.”

 Investigators from the Youngstown Fire Arson Unit are investigating the cause of the fire. State arson investigators and Youngstown Police Detectives are also working with them to go over all of the evidence.

 According to the fire investigator, the fire started on the first floor of the building.

 At this point, we're told they have no reason to believe that the fire was anything other than an accident.

 Neighbors tell 21 News that the family was fairly new to the neighborhood and only moved into the home six months ago.

 People from around the area have already shown their compassion by dropping off a teddy bear in front of the home. Some of the people that have stopped by did not know the family, but they heard the story on the news and wanted to help out any way they could. |||||

Write a summary.

– Five children, including 1-year-old twins, died in a late-night fire that swept through a house after neighbors were awakened by a loud boom, firefighters said. The only survivor was the children's mother, who jumped out of a second-floor window Sunday night, according to Youngstown Fire Capt. Kurt Wright. The other three children who died were ages 9, 3, and 2, he said. Investigators were just beginning to search for a cause of the fire, per the AP. Officials said so far, nothing indicates the fire was suspicious. Deborah Rivera, who lives across the street, told the Vindicator she heard a loud boom and called 911. Her boyfriend said flames were shooting out of the first-floor windows. Neighbors told WFMJ the family moved into the house about six months ago. The two-story wood home was built more than 90 years ago. "We have a relatively young department and most [of] the guys have children," said Youngstown Fire Chief Barry Finley. "So it hits pretty hard, and the fact that it's so close to Christmas hits even harder." Firefighters found flames throughout the home's first floor when they arrived and were able to pull out three of the children, but they died at a hospital, Wright said. The mother was taken to a hospital and is being treated for injuries.


Here is a news article: Vice Adm. Scott Stearney is a native of Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Economics prior to commissioning in the U.S. Navy in October 1982. He subsequently entered flight training and was designated a Naval Aviator in April 1984. Stearney graduated from Navy Fighter Weapons School and holds a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University.

 Operationally, he served in numerous strike fighter squadrons flying the FA-18 Hornet. His fleet assignments include the Golden Warriors of Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-87, the Knighthawks of Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-136 and strike warfare officer for commander, Carrier Group 4. Stearney commanded the Wildcats of VFA-131 and Carrier Air Wing Seven embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. He served in Kabul, Afghanistan, as chief of staff of Joint Task Force 435 and later Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435.

 Ashore, Stearney served as instructor and readiness officer at Navy Fighter Weapons School, aide de camp to the chief of naval operations, deputy director J6 U.S. Joint Forces Command, executive assistant to deputy commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command and chief of staff, Strike Force Training Atlantic.

 His flag assignments include commander, U.S. Transportation Command’s Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, commander, Strike Force Training Atlantic, commander, Carrier Strike Group 4, commander, Navy Warfare Development Command, and director of operations, U.S. Central Command.

 Most recently, Stearney was commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet, Combined Maritime Forces from May 2018 until December 1, 2018.

 He is entitled to wear the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Air Medal, as well as other commendations and awards. He has accumulated more than 4,500 mishap free flight hours and over 1,000 carrier-arrested landings.

  ||||| (CNN) The top admiral overseeing US Naval forces in the Middle East, Vice Adm. Scott Stearney, was found dead in his residence in Bahrain on Saturday, the Navy said in a statement.

 While his death is being investigated, officials say there is no evidence of foul play at this time.

 "This is devastating news for the Stearney family, for the team at Fifth Fleet, and for the entire Navy," Adm. John Richardson, the chief of naval operations, told CNN Saturday. "Adm. Stearney was a decorated professional and a devoted father, a devoted husband and a good friend."

 Team, it's my sad duty to inform you that today the Secretary of the Navy and I were informed that Vice Adm. Scott Stearney, our commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and commander of U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, was found deceased in his residence in Bahrain today. pic.twitter.com/FN8DAlWUng — Adm. John Richardson (@CNORichardson) December 1, 2018

 "I'd just ask that everybody keep the Stearney family in their thoughts and prayers as they move through this and also maybe to respect their privacy as they navigate these very, very difficult waters," he added.

 Richardson said the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Bahraini Ministry of Interior are cooperating in the investigation. He added that he was unaware of any investigations into Stearney.

 Read More ||||| Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.

 By Courtney Kube and Phil Helsel

 The Navy admiral in charge of the military branch’s operations in the Middle East was found dead in Bahrain on Saturday, the Navy said.

 Vice Admiral Scott Stearney was found dead in his residence in Bahrain Saturday and no foul play is suspected, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson said in a statement. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Bahraini Ministry of Interior are cooperating on the investigation.

 Stearney took over as commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the Combined Maritime Forces in May, where he commanded more than 20,000 U.S. and coalition sailors, Marines, Coastguardsmen, and civilians. Stearney served 36 years in the Navy.

 "This is devastating news for the Stearney family, for the team at Fifth Fleet, and for the entire Navy. Scott Stearney was a decorated naval warrior," Richardson said in a statement.

 "He was a devoted husband and father, and he was a good friend to all of us,” Richardson said.

 Rear Admiral Paul Schlise, the deputy commander of Fifth Fleet, has assumed command, he said. Vice Admiral Jim Malloy is preparing to fly out to Bahrain later today to take command in the interim.

 Stearney was a native of Chicago and entered the Navy in 1982 after graduating from the University of Notre Dame. He became a Navy aviator in 1984 and served in strike fighter squadrons flying the FA-18 Hornet, according to the Navy website.

 Vice Adm. Scott Stearney, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces, is rendered honors on the quarterdeck of the guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) on Oct. 24, 2018. Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Clay / USS Jason Dunham (DDG109)

 He served in Kabul, Afghanistan, as chief of staff of Joint Task Force 435 and later Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435. In the U.S., he served as instructor and readiness officer at Navy Fighter Weapons School, as well as other roles, the Navy said.

 Stearney’s past assignments included commander of the U.S. Transportation Command’s Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, commander of Strike Force Training Atlantic, commander of Carrier Strike Group and commander of Navy Warfare Development Command, and director of operations of U.S. Central Command, the Navy said. |||||
A summary of this is?

– The admiral leading American Naval forces in the Middle East turned up dead at his Bahrain residence Saturday, CNN reports. Vice Adm. Scott Stearney's death is under investigation, but media reports say there's no evidence of foul play. "This is devastating news for the Stearney family, for the team at Fifth Fleet, and for the entire Navy," says Adm. John Richardson, the chief of naval operations. The Fifth Fleet is part of the US Navy's Naval Forces Central Command, which controls operations in areas including the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. America sees those Naval Forces as a deterrent to Iran and Iran-supported Houthi rebels, which are considered possible threats to regional shipping. Stearney, a 36-year Navy veteran, took command in the Middle East in May and led more than 200,000 US service members and civilians, per NBC News. The Navy website says he was a Chicago native who graduated from the University of Notre Dame and in 1982 entered the Navy, where he was an aviator and flew the FA-18 Hornet in strike fighter squadrons. He has served several commands and was chief of staff of a Joint Task Force in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Bahraini Ministry of Interior and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service are looking into his death, Reuters reports. (Meanwhile, $7M legwear is supposed to turn US troops into "super soldiers.")


Write an article based on this summary:

– A leading white supremacist has been shot to death at his California home and his 10-year-old son has been booked on suspicion of homicide. Jeff Russell Hall, 32, was the regional director of the National Socialist Movement and came to national attention last year when he ran for a post on the local water board. The son was taken into custody after police interviewed Hall's wife and four other children, the Los Angeles Times reports. Police say the shooting was intentional, but a motive hasn't been determined, reports the Daily Bulletin. Neighbors complain they were verbally abused and felt threatened by the family, who held a Halloween party last year where a swastika flag was flown from the house and guests wore KKK hoods. "Honestly, I feel like it's over," Juan Trejo, who lives across the street from Hall's home, tells the Press-Enterprise. "It was scary here. Hopefully, we'll never see any of them again."

A white supremacist who ran for a Riverside water board last year was shot to death inside his home early Sunday, and his young son is suspected of the killing, police said.

 Officers responded to a call of shots fired in the 5400 block of Lauder Court at 4:04 a.m., a Riverside police news release stated. They found Jeff Hall, 32, inside the home with a single gunshot wound. Police did not say where the bullet struck him.

 Riverside firefighters later pronounced him dead.

 Police were investigating whether the shooting was intentional or accidental, said Lt. Ed Blevins, manager of the Investigations Bureau. He said two handguns were recovered from the home.

 Hall had been identified as the regional director for the National Socialist Movement, which promotes white separatism on its website.

 Hall's wife and five children were in the home at the time of the shooting, Blevins said by phone Sunday evening. He did not release any information about the child suspected in the shooting. Child Protective Services were called, he said, but he wasn't sure if they had taken the other young children.

 Police said they were not looking for additional suspects.

 On Sunday afternoon, no one answered the door at the beige stucco, two-story home where Hall and his family lived.

 A wreath with a blue cartoonish rabbit and Easter eggs with the words "Bunny Crossing" hung on the door, and Easter egg appliqués were stuck to a front window. A surveillance camera protruded from a corner of the roof, commanding the front of the house.

 Charles Wilson, head of public relations for the Detroit-based National Socialist Movement, confirmed that Hall had been killed, but said by phone Sunday afternoon from his home in Oklahoma that the organization had no immediate comment.

 An Arizona publication, Phoenix New Times, reported last year that Hall had led several armed white supremacists into the desert near the Mexican border to patrol for illegal immigrants.

 The National Socialist Movement website shows photos of its members from Southern California near the state's border with Mexico, as well as pictures from an anti-illegal immigration rally in Riverside two years ago that turned violent when scores of counter-protesters marched against the neo-Nazi group.

 Several residents in the neighborhood overlooking UC Riverside said they were still shaken from the early-morning shooting. Some refused to talk about it, while others weren't sure how to react after months of what they described as intimidation by Hall and other National Socialist Movement members who often visited.

 "Honestly, I feel like it's over," said Juan Trejo, who lives across the street from Hall's home. "It was scary here. Hopefully we'll never see any of them again."

 Trejo described a Halloween party at the home last year, when Hall flew a swastika flag from the home and guests wore KKK hoods. Trejo said Hall lived there with his wife and several children, one of whom called his son a "beaner" when the boy skateboarded near the Hall home.

 Trejo said in the two years they lived there, he had never spoken to Hall, his wife, or several children, whom he described as all younger than about 12.

 "I never tried to even say hello because they are racist," he said.

 Hall ran against incumbent Tom Evans for Division 2 of the Western Riverside Municipal Water District board in November. Division 2 covers March Air Reserve Base and eastern Riverside.

 Hall said at the time that regardless of his National Socialist goals, he would serve the entire community equally if elected.

 Hall lost to Evans, but still received more than 25 percent of the vote.

 Reach David Keck at dkeck@PE.com or 951-368-9465. ||||| RIVERSIDE - A white supremacist who organized a neo-Nazi march and rally in March in Claremont was shot to death in his home this weekend, and his young son has been booked in the investigation of murder.

 Jeff Russell Hall, 32, was killed early Sunday in the house he shared with his wife and five children, all of whom were home at the time.

 Hall, Southwest States regional director of the National Socialist Movement, died of a single gunshot wound fired "by a known assailant," according to a Riverside County coroner's office news release.

 The weapon was described only as a handgun and Riverside police Lt. Ed Blevins refused to divulge the caliber of the weapon or the identity of the gun owner.

 Blevins said he was awaiting autopsy results.

 Hall's son was booked at juvenile hall for investigation of murder, Blevins said.

 He would only say the child was under 18 years old.

 The National Socialist Movement promotes white separatism on its website.

 About 30 people from the neo-Nazi group on March 19 took part in a rally at Foothill and Indian Hill boulevards in Claremont that aimed to draw attention to America's policy on immigration.

 The group was confronted by hundreds of anti-Nazi protesters, and the two sides taunted each other.

 "You said you were going to stop us, but you didn't. Thank you for being tools and showing up here today," Hall said on his megaphone at the rally.

 Hall used

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 the megaphone to get his group to chant or incite the hundreds across the street while police officers and yellow police tape blocked people from reaching them.

 The neo-Nazi chants included "White power," "Whose streets? Our streets," "Heil Hitler" and "If it's brown, flush it down."

 Hall gained widespread attention when he lost his November bid to replace incumbent Tom Evans on the Western Riverside Municipal Water District board.

 Blevins said the motive for the shooting hasn't been determined, saying only "it was an intentional act." He wouldn't release any details about the shooting.

  |||||


Article:

After escaping an early-morning house fire, a Plano man was killed Thursday when he went back in the burning house for his mobile phone, officials say. (Published Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014)

 After escaping an early-morning house fire, a Plano man was killed Thursday when he went back in the burning house for his mobile phone, officials say.

 Fire officials said three adults, a woman and two men were at their home on Haggard Street when the fire started at about 1 a.m. They all were able to get out, but then the two men decided to go back to get their mobile phones to call 911.

 Man Killed in Early Thursday House Fire

 An early morning house fire has killed one man in Plano. (Published Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014)

 One of the men, later identified as 72-year-old Rex Benson, was unable to get out of the house again and died.

 Firefighters got to the scene within minutes of the initial call, but were unable to rescue Benson.

 "The home was fully engulfed in flames," said Plano Fire and Rescue spokeswoman Peggy Harrell. "A lot of smoke when our first crew arrived."

 Officials said the other man was the Benson's roommate and the woman was his daughter. Neighbors said Benson had lived in the area for years.

 "Great guy, willing to help anyone who needed a hand; and to hear he made that big of a mistake and the loss of life because of something as simple as a cellphone seems sad," said neighbor Scott Kraus.

 Harrell said it's very important never to go back inside a burning building.

 "Nine people out of 10 that return back into a burning building don't make it out alive," said Harrell. "That's evident here and it's really tragic."

 The cause of the fire is still under investigation. ||||| Updated at 3:30 p.m.:

 The victim has been identified as 72-year-old Rex Benson, according to the Collin County medical examiner’s office.

 Staff writer Emily Sims reports:

 An elderly Plano man was killed early Thursday when he went back into his burning home to retrieve a cell phone.

 The fire was reported shortly after 1 a.m. at the home in the 800 block of Haggard Street, fire Capt. Peggy Harrell said. She said firefighters arrived three minutes after the call to find the house engulfed in flames.

 “It was big enough to get your attention,” said neighbor Scott Hampton, who went outside after his dogs woke him up.

 Two men and the victim’s daughter all escaped initially, Harrell said, but the men re-entered the burning home because they had no phone to call 911. Hampton said he had to stop the daughter from going back in.

 The roommate got out unharmed, but the victim, a man in his 70s, was found dead inside.

 “People should never go back into a burning home or building for any reason,” Harrell said. “Fire and toxic smoke can quickly incapacitate a person and make it impossible to get out.”

 The cause of the fire remains under investigation. ||||| An elderly Texas man died early Thursday when he rushed back into a burning home to get his cell phone.

 Rex Benson, 72, was initially able to escape the powerful blaze just after 1 a.m. on Haggard St. in Plano, Tex., but inexplicably braved the sky-high flames with another man to retrieve a phone to call 911, fire officials said.

 The unidentified companion escaped, but Benson was unable to cheat death twice — he was found dead inside the house by members of the Plano Fire Department, officials said.

 “It was a terrible miscalculation on their part. A terrible accident,” Capt. Peggy Harrell told the Daily News. “Just very sad.”

 Benson lived at the one-story brick house with his adult daughter and an unidentified roommate, Harrell said.

 Firefighters had to battle the raging fire from the outside because the entire home was ‘engulfed in flames,’ officials said. (WFAA)

 The male roommate alerted Benson and his daughter — who were both sleeping at the time — to the fire, Harrell said.

 When firefighters arrived at the home at 1:08 a.m. — three minutes after the initial call came over — the home was “fully engulfed,” Harrell said.

 Harrell said in her experience that roughly 90% of people who go back into a fire don’t make it out alive.

 “I don't think people realize how quickly fire grows. Evidentially, they felt they had the time to go back in,” she said. “This is a notch in the statistic on the wrong end.”

 Benson's adult daughter and an unidentified roommate were able to escape the fire and survive. (WFAA)

 Neighbors were sad and perplexed as to why Benson didn’t come to them for a phone.

 “He could have come to any of the neighbors’ houses to call 911,” Nakita Weseman told CBS DFW. “I know he realized probably he didn't have his cell phone, but that's definitely replaceable, but he wasn't.”

 The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but no foul play is suspected.

 idejohn@nydailynews.com

 Follow me on Twitter: @IrvingDeJohn |||||
What is a summary?

– A Texas man who escaped a burning building with his life but not his phone made the fatal mistake of going back for it, firefighters say. Rex Benson, 72, his adult daughter, and another man made it out of their Plano home when the fire started around 1am yesterday, but the two men decided to brave the flames and go back in to retrieve their phones to call 911; a neighbor tells the Dallas Morning News he had to stop Benson's daughter from following them in. Firefighters, who were alerted to the fire by someone's call and arrived within minutes of it, found the house fully engulfed in flames and Benson's body inside, NBCDFW reports. "It was big enough to get your attention," says the neighbor of the fire. "It was a terrible miscalculation on their part. A terrible accident," a fire department spokeswoman tells the New York Daily News. "I don't think people realize how quickly fire grows. Evidentially, they felt they had the time to go back in," she says, explaining that people should never go back into a burning building—and 90% of those that do don't make it out alive. "This is a notch in the statistic on the wrong end." (In Chicago last month, two men died after jumping into the Chicago River to retrieve a dropped phone.)


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 This will NOT appear anywhere on Newser ||||| CLOSE Cory Godbolt spoke with The Clarion-Ledger on scene. Therese Apel

 Lincoln County Deputy William Durr (Photo: Lincoln County Sheriff's Department)

 Suspect Willie Corey Godbolt told The Clarion-Ledger he intended to commit "suicide by cop" after a shooting rampage in Bogue Chitto and Brookhaven that left eight dead, including a Lincoln County deputy, two boys, his mother-in-law and other family members.

 "I ain't fit to live, not after what I done," a handcuffed Godbolt, 35, who had gotten into an argument with his estranged wife over their children, told The Clarion-Ledger.

 Authorities from multiple agencies took Godbolt into custody on East Lincoln Road in Brookhaven Sunday morning, some seven hours after the shooting spree started. He has been charged with one count of capital murder and seven counts of first-degree murder.

 Mississippi Bureau of Investigation spokesman Warren Strain, in a news release, said the shooting spree began at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday with a domestic call at 2871 Lee Drive in Bogue Chitto.

 Godbolt told The Clarion-Ledger that he had gone to the residence to talk about his children. At some point neighbors called police, and that's when the deputy arrived to try to calm the situation.

 Four bodies — those of three women and Lincoln County Deputy William Durr, 36 — were recovered there.

 CLOSE Cory Godbolt's family recounts when he allegedly showed up firing shots that took the lives of 11-year-old Austin and 18-year-old Jordan. Therese Apel/The Clarion-Ledger

 Vincent Mitchell, the stepfather-in-law of the suspect, told The Associated Press that Godbolt's wife and their two children had been staying at his Bogue Chitto home for about three weeks after she left her husband.

 After the sheriff's deputy arrived at the house, Godbolt looked as if he were about to leave, then reached into his back pocket, pulled a gun and opened fire, Mitchell said.

 Mitchell said he escaped along with Godbolt's wife. But he said three family members were killed in his home: his wife, Barbara Mitchell; her daughter, Toccarra May; and his wife's sister, Brenda May.

 "I'm devastated. It don't seem like it's real," Mitchell said.

 The second crime scene was located at 1658 Coopertown Road in Brookhaven where the bodies of the two boys were found. The shooting there happened sometime between midnight and 5 a.m.

 As authorities, including several employees of the coroner's office, processed the first scene, a call suddenly echoed out over every law enforcement radio on site: "The suspect is at a residence at 312 East Lincoln Road. He has opened fire."

 Members of multiple agencies left the Bogue Chitto scene and arrived at East Lincoln as Godbolt attempted to flee the scene on foot.

 As deputies held him on the ground, Godbolt talked freely about his family and how he just wanted to "live and let live, and they wouldn't let me do that."

 "My pain wasn't designed for him. He was just there," Godbolt said of the deputy. "We was talking about me trying to take the children home ... somebody called the officer ... that's what they do, they intervene. It cost him his life. I'm sorry."

 When asked what's next for him, Godbolt said, "Death ... Suicide by cop was my intention. I ain't fit to live. Not after what I've done."

 Godbolt, of 377 Brister St. in Bogue Chitto, professed to The Clarion-Ledger his love for his wife, children and Bogue Chitto.

 He also said he had been shot by someone inside the home. He was treated and taken by ambulance to a Jackson hospital. It wasn't clear who had shot him.

 CLOSE Many of the victims of the deadly rampage and Brookhaven were not only in Eugene Edwards' church, they were in his family. Even the alleged shooter. Therese Apel/The Clarion-Ledger

 The bodies of a man and a woman were recovered at the home on East Lincoln in Brookhaven.

 Strain said authorities were waiting on the notification of next of kin before releasing the names of the other seven victims, though family members confirmed the identity of some of the victims.

 CLOSE Corey Godbolt is accused of fatally killing eight people in Brookhaven in an overnight shooting spree that began the night of May 27, 2017, and ended the following morning. Therese Apel/The Clarion-Ledger

 "Everybody that got killed was related to him, except the deputy," Johnny Hall Sr., a member of the New Zion Union M.B. Church in Bogue Chitto, told The Associated Press. He said Godbolt also was a member of the church.

 Durr, married and the father of an 11-year-old son, was a two-year veteran of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department and a four-year veteran of the Brookhaven Police Department.

 Officers from multiple jurisdictions arrested Cory Godbolt on East Lincoln Road this morning. He is accused of killing eight people, including a Lincoln County deputy. (Photo: Therese Apel/ The Clarion-Ledger)

 Lincoln County Sheriff Steve Rushing said the community is reeling at the loss of life. He said it will be hard for the department to deal with the Durr's absence. He had just finished DARE school and had a puppet show he would put on for the schools. He was a local favorite among children.

 "It's a small community and everybody's hurting in one way or another," Rushing said. "To me, he died a hero doing his job."

 Gov. Phil Bryant issued a statement asking for prayers in the aftermath of the tragedy.

 “Every day, the men and women who wear the badge make some measure of sacrifice to protect and serve their communities. Too often, we lose one of our finest. I thank the law enforcement agencies involved for their hard work,” Bryant said.

 Other agencies responding, Strain said, included the Mississippi Highway Patrol, Bureau of Narcotics, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, Pike, Walthall, Franklin, Copiah, Lawrence, Amite counties sheriff’s departments, and the Brookhaven Police Department.

 This is, to the memory of most involved, the largest crime spree in Lincoln County history.

 "Just this year we've had a quadruple homicide in Yazoo County, a quadruple homicide in the city of Jackson, a quadruple homicide in Lauderdale County, and now eight people killed in one shooting spree here in Lincoln County," Strain said. "You think you've seen it all, then another day comes along."

 Lincoln County has about 34,000 people. The county seat, Brookhaven, has about 14,000 people, and Bogue Chitto, an unincorporated town of about 533, is about 10 miles south of Brookhaven.

 Contact Therese Apel at 601-961-7236 or tapel@gannett.com. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

 Read or Share this story: https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2017/05/28/man-sought-death-lincoln-deputy-multiple-others-allegedly-has-16-year-old-hostage/352133001/ |||||

Write a summary.

– A man who got into an argument with his estranged wife over their children was arrested in a house-to-house shooting rampage in rural Mississippi that left eight people dead, including a sheriff's deputy, per the AP. "I ain't fit to live, not after what I done," a handcuffed Willie Corey Godbolt, 35, told the Clarion-Ledger. The shootings took place at three homes Saturday night—two in Brookhaven and one in Bogue Chitto—about 70 miles south of Jackson, after authorities got a call about a domestic dispute, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said. The dead included two boys, investigators said. Godbolt was listed in good condition at a hospital with a gunshot wound; authorities did not say how he was wounded. Bureau of Investigation spokesman Warren Strain said charges had yet to be filed and it was too soon to say what the motive was. Authorities gave no details on the relationship between Godbolt and the victims. However, Godbolt himself shed some light on what happened in a video interview with the newspaper as he sat with his hands cuffed behind his back on the side of a road. Godbolt said he was talking with his wife and in-laws when somebody called authorities. "I was having a conversation with her stepdaddy and her mama and her, my wife, about me taking my children home," he said. "Somebody called the officer, people that didn't even live at the house. That's what they do. They intervene." "They cost him his life," he said, apparently referring to the deputy. "I'm sorry." The stepfather-in-law, Vincent Mitchell, said in an interview that Godbolt's wife and their two children had been staying at his Bogue Chitto home for about three weeks after she left her husband.


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A Pennsylvania town has banned trick-or-treating this year while hundreds of cops search nearby woods for accused cop killer Eric Frein.

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 The Barrett Township said its annual Halloween parade and 5K Scarecrow Race are canceled indefinitely, and trick-or-treating is banned this year, as the dragnet for Frein is now in its fourth week. The suspect is believed to be hiding out in thick woods near the town.

 "This parade is probably one of the biggest events that the town has every year," Ralph Megliola, chairman of the township's Board of Supervisors, told ABC News today. "Everyone looks forward to the parade. Myself and my family personally have been away and cut our vacation short to get home in time for the parade. Thousands of people line the streets."

 Butch Comegys/Scranton Times & Tribune/AP Photo

 Megliola said that this year would have been the town's 50th anniversary parade. It was scheduled for Oct. 26.

 The dragnet for Frein has residents of the normally sleepy town in the Pocono Mountains on edge.

 "I'm the father of a 9-year-old," Megliola said. "We do things a little differently now. I'm not so comfortable with him going outside and playing anymore."

 The manhunt and increased police presence is also hurting tourism and businesses in the Poconos. Frequent road blocks, hunting restrictions, and school closures right after the shootings add to the inconvenience.

 Pennsylvania State Police Dept.

 "Now we have that question in the back of our mind -- is he here? Where is he?" Megliola added. "Any time you drive through town, it's not uncommon to see 20 to 40 police cars or a helicopter or two or three flying above."

 Many people worried that Frein could escape during the Halloween activities with the help of disguises or costumes, ABC affiliate WNEP reported.

 If he's found before Halloween, Megliola said the town will reconsider its Halloween activities. For now, a "trunk-or-treat" will be held in the parking lot of a Catholic school in a nearby township.

 Police have been searching the woods, focusing on the border of Pike and Monroe counties, since after the shooting at the Blooming Grove police barracks on Sept. 12. Frein allegedly killed one officer and injured another.

 Get real-time updates as this story unfolds. To start, just "star" this story in ABC News' phone app. Download ABC News for iPhone here or ABC News for Android here. To be notified about our live weekend digital reports, tap here. ||||| Barrett Township in Monroe County has cancelled Halloween including trick-or-treating this year for safety reasons as Eric Frein, the accused cop-killer is still at large. (Published Friday, Oct. 10, 2014)

 The manhunt for the suspect in the fatal ambush of a Pennsylvania state trooper forced a town to put its Halloween plans on hold.

 Barrett Township supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday night to cancel Halloween trick-or-treating this year as officials continue their search for Eric Frein.

 They also postponed their Halloween parade, which had been scheduled for Oct. 28, as well as their annual 5K Scarecrow Race, which had been scheduled for Oct. 19.

 Instead of trick or treating, Barrett Township will have a “Trunk R Treat” on the grounds of Monsignor McHugh School in Paradise Township. During the event, residents will decorate their cars as Halloween floats and hand out candy from their car trunks to children.

 State officials also announced hunters may return to parts of the Pennsylvania woods previously declared off-limits after police discovered pipe bombs allegedly left by Frein.

 The state Game Commission said Friday that hunters and trappers can enter Lehman Township and portions of Blooming Grove and Porter townships.

 The agency also reopened most of State Game Lands 180 and the State Game Lands 183 shooting range, both in Pike County.

 Those areas are outside the main search area for Frein.

 Hunting and trapping remains closed in Greene Township, Pike County, and Price, Barrett and Paradise townships in Monroe County.

 Portions of State Game Lands 183 and 221 remain closed, as does the western tip of State Game Lands 180.

 Friday marked Day 28 in the search for Frein, accused of killing Pennsylvania State Police Corporal Bryon K. Dickson II and wounding Trooper Alex Douglass during an ambush shooting outside the Troop R barracks in Blooming Grove back on September 12.

 Officials in Barrett Township say the manhunt for Frein has already cost about $40,000 not counting lost revenue to businesses.

 Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia |||||

– With accused cop killer Eric Frein still on the loose and presumably holed up in the nearby woods, a town in rural Pennsylvania has taken the unusual step of canceling Halloween festivities this year, reports ABC News. That means no trick-or-treating and no annual parade for Barrett Township. It's not just that residents fear for the safety of kids—they're also worried that Frein could take advantage of the night to grab a costume and escape the area. The town will instead organize an event at the local high school where people can hand out candy, reports NBC Philadelphia. Frein is accused of shooting to death one state trooper and wounding another on Sept. 12. Authorities tracking him have found various items in the woods, including a journal in which the shootings are discussed in "chilling" detail.