Letter: We must protect America even from those within government
(Evan Vucci | The Associated Press) In this Jan. 20, 2017 file photo, White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter, center, hands President Donald Trump a confirmation order for James Mattis as defense secretary, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, as White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, right, watches. Porter is stepping down following allegations of domestic abuse by his two ex-wives.
I am wondering about the overall concern for security and integrity in our national government.
I see that the official issues about Rob Porter’s domestic abuse occurred between 2003 and 2013 during his two failed marriages. That means that those were on his record when he worked as chief of staff for our own Sen. Orrin Hatch from June 2014 until he left to work at the White House. He also worked for our own Sen. Mike Lee and for Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, before joining Hatch’s team.
It appears that none of those senators cared about Porter’s domestic abuse. Do senators not seek security status for their staff? Where does personal integrity fit? Could Porter have been an object of blackmail? Do our representatives and senators not vet their staff? Or in Utah is being a member of the LDS Church all the guarantee of fitness that they look for? (To be fair, I understand that Portman is a Methodist.)
There are many in the world who seek to bring down our system of government. We must be vigilant in protecting our grand experiment even from those within.
Marilyn Stewart, Cottonwood Heights
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