The latest White House scandal has snowballed into an avalanche, roiling some of the highest-ranking and most prominent West Wing staffers in the process. The White House initially stood by its staff secretary, Rob Porter, after he was accused of physically and emotionally abusing his two ex-wives, one of whom released photos of a black eye she says he gave her. Publicly, the administration even offered rare contrition for its handling of the situation. The focus now lies on Porter's inability to obtain a full security clearance and on when the White House chief of staff, John Kelly, and other top officials were first made aware of the allegations, which Porter has denied.