I understand, especially in the Porter case, the concern and criticism against Kelly. If the information reported is accurate, then Kelly knew that Porter could not pass the security check and likely knew why, then he still came out and defended him. With this colonel, unless more information comes out later, it may be that Kelly did not know what was going on. Also, Kelly served as a character witness in 2016 and this guy's latest offense is in 2017 so you can't put that into the future and condemn Kelly.

I had a friend who was really close at one point and I would have sworn that this person was the best and this person was a great friend to me. My friend got into some significant problems and did some things that I consider offensive. I am sure that you could dig up statements I made about how wonderful my friend was and compare them to what they did and criticize me of having poor judgement.

I think Kelly is a racist idiot, but I think we need to refrain from piling on unless we have specific information stating, that like the Porter case, Kelly knew that Tomko was a horrific person and STILL defended him.

Who can really tell everything about their interpersonal relationships? I've known and gotten along with people who have done horrible things to other people. In a couple of cases, I was the only friend of the horrible person. Certainly I did things to protect myself, but that can be handled in an interpersonal relationship.

But when we're talking about the military or the upper levels of staffing at the White House, places where we're told the nation's security is the highest priority, there's no room for personal feelings. If someone is a wife beater or a child abuser, they simply can't have access to classified information; they're too susceptible to blackmail by anyone who knows their secrets. Kelly has to know this, but it looks like he lets his personal feelings overrule what he knows to be the right thing. By sticking up for Col. Tomko in 2016, Kelly had to know that he was risking unit cohesion and security. And now it looks like he made another poor judgment call.

I don't think anyone could have said it better. I know about having friends like that. Your explanation about why they should not be in certain other high positions is wonderful.

Kelly knows. You are saying Kelly showed up as a character witness and had no clue?

According to an April letter to the editor published in the Herald-Whig, Tomko became the pastor of Parkview Church in Quincy following his forced retirement from the Marine Corps.

Makes perfect sense to that kind of person, and those who support him.