Rob Porter also kicked & choked his wife - "he would throw me down on the bed and ......"

[womanofthehills]

In a lengthy interview, Holdnerness, who married Porter in 2003, told CNN on Wednesday that the physical abuse began almost immediately after their wedding. The couple went to the Canary Islands for their honeymoon in the summer of 2003, when Holderness said Porter kicked her thigh during a fight.

"I didn't quite know how to take it," Holderness said. "I had just tied the knot with him."
She said that Porter's repeated physically abusive behavior also included throwing her on the bed and forcefully pushing one of his limbs into her body in anger and choking her.

"The thing he would do most frequently is he would throw me down on a bed and he would just put his body weight on me and he'd be yelling at me but as he was yelling he'd me grinding an elbow or knee into my body to emphasize his anger," she said. The choking, she said, "was just very scary and dehumanizing," and she said she didn't realize the severity of the situation until she spoke with a counselor.

In the summer of 2005, the couple was in Florence, Italy, when Holderness said he punched her in the face -- the only time, Holdnerness says, when she remembers her ex-husband leaving a physical mark on her body.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/07/politics/rob-porter-ex-wives-white-house/index.html

[Initech]

1. God these people are so fucking horrible! On every level!

[politicaljunkie41910]

21. The choking, she said, "was just very scary and dehumanizing," and she said she didn't realize the

The choking, she said, "was just very scary and dehumanizing," and she said she didn't realize the severity of the situation until she spoke with a counselor, she stated in an interview yesterday. "That is until she spoke with a counselor who wasn't a member of her church," the Mormon Church. Up until that time, all the counselors she had spoken to were from the Mormon Church, and she said she didn't realize that this type of behavior wasn't normal. Jeeeeeeezzzzzz.

[yardwork]

22. Choking is a known precursor to homicide.

Grabbing somebody around the throat to choke them is considered an indicator of lethality. People who do that are more likely to escalate their violence to the point of homicide.

[politicaljunkie41910]

24. I was trying to emphasize the point that she actually said she didn't realize this wasn't normal.

Last night on either Rachal Maddow's show or on Lawrence O'Donnell, they had an interview with each of the wives, and the first wife said that he had done this many times and she had discussed it with her church counselors many times and she didn't realize this type of behavior was not normal until she talked with a counselor who was not a member of her church. That was absolutely, jaw dropping.

[malaise]

27. Their churches cover up for these men

Time's fucking up!

[yardwork]

29. I agree. It is appalling.

[Phoenix61]

26. Yes it is

It's the ultimate power play. When you have your hands around someone's throat you literally have their life in your hands. It isn't about someone not knowing how to manage their anger. It's about a batterer intimidating their victim.

[Egnever]

2. Geezus

Not surprising really from one of these cretins but still Geezus.

[Rhiannon12866]

3. Lawrence O'Donnell is also discussing this in detail.

[womanofthehills]

5. Randi Rhodes also covered this story today

the CNN article says there was a third women he abused. Probably more will come out too.

[Rhiannon12866]

7. There always are more - this is never an isolated incident, but part of a pattern.

Lawrence O'Donnell is discussing this right now, I've been watching the repeat. He led with this story and he's not done yet.

[Cha]

4. How scary! I wouldn't have made it

to 2005 with rob porter.

[DeminPennswoods]

6. Making it even scarier is that he knew

how and not to leave marks so she couldn't back up any claim of abuse.

[Marcuse]

8. No wonder Hicks drafted a glowing resignation statement for Kelly.

[SunSeeker]

9. Porter is an evil, cowardly monster. nt

[world wide wally]

10. Does he get a parade too?

[Squinch]

11. Choking behavior is a strong indicator that an abuser will escalate to killing his victim.

[Dave Starsky]

12. I've heard that's the #1 sign.

I think that was in more than one episode of Forensic Files.

[Squinch]

13. So now it's also a strong indicator that the republican president will think you're a great guy.

[yardwork]

23. Just saw this after I posted the same.

It's very concerning that her counselors didn't recognize this sign. Nobody told her that it wasn't normal?!

[dembotoz]

14. 50 shades of thug

[bdamomma]

18. thug is right.

they are all thugs abusers of women.

[wishstar]

15. Rachel Maddow reported that Steve Bannon also grabbed his now ex-wife by neck, she filed complaint

Maddow also reported how Bannon's ex-wife was threatened to drop charges. Also during Trump divorce from Ivana, Michael Cohen, Trump's attorney sent disgusting threats to Ivana to shut her up and force her compliance.

[Maraya1969]

17. I remember hearing that. And he did something about the money

and took it all away from her, (I think that was it.....not completely sure

[mcar]

16. Disgusting excuse for a human being

Kelly should be fired for this but given the entire Administration's lack of morals I won't hold my breath.

[Stinky The Clown]

19. What was it Kelly said? He's an honorable man?

[Grammy23]

20. Abusers go to great lengths (after the fact) to get the spouse to

stay silent about what they are going through. They employ a variety of tactics including apologies and promises to never do it again. Much remorse....until it happens again.

Then there is the Blame the Victim strategy. They tell the victim that they (the victim) made them do it. You goaded me. You tempted me. You are the reason I hit you, drink, etc.

Some will shower the victim (briefly) with gifts and treatment fit for a queen. Then, out of nowhere, they rip the rug out from under the victim and commit an abusive act.

I personally know of one situation where the abuser physically abused his spouse by hitting, slapping and pulling her hair. He even did these things when she was pregnant. Finally, after years of this, the local sheriff was involved where the abuser was informed he would be arrested if it happened again. So what did he do? He switched his tactics by psychologically abusing his victim by constant criticism, belittling her and telling her over and over how stupid she was and how she could never make it on her own if she left. Eventually, they did divorce but it took tremendous courage AND the abuser had found another ‘victim” and wanted out, too.

Abuse comes in many forms and often involves physical as well as mental abuse. It is complicated and sometimes a victim repeats their pattern of being involved with abusive partners. In that case, victim and abuser need help to try to stop the cycle of abuse.

[FactyDude]

25. wtf???!!!??? How is he not in prison?

[mchill]

28. Why is Hope Hicks so attracted to these abusers?

Corey Lewendowski, Porter, Trump....

[LuckyCharms]

30. Not her fault. n/t

[CTyankee]

31. I'm to the point where I almost dread the TV news every day because of what

disgusting thing has been revealed about Trump and his cohorts. I used to delight in Obama's latest speech or Michelle's speech or a pic of those wonderful daughters. Now I want to vomit...