Monday, July 31, 2017

Scaramucci Removed from White House Role

Scaramucci, pictured here in 2016, seemed to be bringing
a more cordial attitude to the White House communications
office before revealing his animosity towards then
White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus in profane
conversation
Credit: Gage Skidmore
Anthony Scaramucci, a financier with a history of political involvement, was removed Monday by from his White House job as communications director before even formally stepping into the role. In a twist of fate, he was reportedly removed at the behest of the new White House chief of staff, former general and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, who replaced Reince Priebus, who Scaramucci wanted gone.


Scaramucci's tenure coincided with a major shakeup in White House staff. Sean Spicer, who had been serving as acting White House communications director after his rocky tenure as press secretary (now filled by Sarah Huckabee Sanders, daughter of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee), resigned in protest following Scaramucci's hiring. Scaramucci played tribute to Spicer, and seemed to enjoy engaging with the White House press corps in his first press conference following the announcement of his hiring by the White House.

Scaramucci's profane rant to a reporter, in which he accused Priebus of being a leaker of confidential information and would be fired soon, no doubt contributed to his political demise. In addition, Scaramucci had boasted that he would only be reporting to Trump, and not to the chief of staff. Though Priebus was removed on Friday, Scaramucci was not far behind.

Scaramucci's actions and attitude simply proved too much for Kelly, who is seeking to exert control over the chaotic administration, which has suffered controversy after controversy relating to its relationship with the press, allegations of collusion with the Russian government during the 2016 campaign, and failure to pass a Republican-sponsored health care overhaul, a mainstay of Republican electoral promises for the past seven years.

GOP Health Care Effort Flounders

Republican efforts to repeal the Obama’s signature health care law, or at least make changes to it, has continued to fail to produce fruit as Democrats continue their steadfast opposition and Senate Republicans cannot reach a consensus on the path forward.

GOP moderates, especially Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AL), and conservatives such as Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rand Paul (R-KY) have considered elements of the other side’s plans untenable in getting them for a final bill. Plans that would have repealed parts of the bill and replace them with GOP plans have failed, as have plans to repeal the plan without a replacement one waiting.

On early Friday morning, the Senate rejected a so-called “skinny repeal,” which would have repealed the individual mandate, the most hated part of Obamacare by many Republicans, and eliminated certain taxes. The bill was notable in that House Speaker Paul Ryan gave assurances to some senators that the House will not pass that bill, giving them clearance to vote for it without having to be held fully accountable if made law. Still, it failed, with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) joining Collins and Murkowski in voting it down.