Late Thursday, news broke that President Donald Trump had chosen Wall Street financier and prominent Republican donor, Anthony Scaramucci, to lead the beleaguered White House communications department. The appointment swiftly precipitated the resignation of press secretary Sean Spicer who, along with senior aides Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon, is said to have vehemently objected to Scaramucci's hiring. White House officials told the Daily Beast that some fear the incoming communications lead will do nothing to change the image of "amateur hour" in the West Wing.
So, who is the man known as "the Mooch?"
First of all, he's a major Trump fan. "I love the president and I'm very, very loyal to the president," Scaramucci said at Friday's press briefing, where he was officially introduced to reporters. "I love the mission the president has."
He also addressed a 2015 appearance on Fox News (you can watch below), where he bashed Trump as "anti-American" and criticized the then-presidential candidate's rhetoric about women.
"Mr. President if you're listening, I personally apologize for the 50th time for saying that," Scaramucci said.
While Scaramucci on Friday said his primary goal is to promote the president's agenda, it appears as though he has a surprising history of statements that appear to be at odds with Trump's policies and Republican orthodoxy. We've unearthed some past cable news footage and social media postings to provide some context to the new hire:
He wanted an "incredibly competent" Hillary Clinton to run for president:
He backed Jeff Sessions' decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigations:
He once attacked Trump for being "anti-American" and "another hack":
He supports gay rights:
He opposes the death penalty:
He believes in climate change:
He sees Russia as an adversary:
He has expressed support for increased gun control:
It remains to be seen how Scaramucci plans to square these stances with his professed love for Trump's "mission."
This article from Mother Jones appeared on July 21, 2017.
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July 22, 2017
Addendum. Here are another of my favorite Scaramucci tweets. WTF.
