White House Communications Director Positively Likens Keeping President’s Secrets to the ‘Honor’ of Joe Paterno, Twitter Explodes
Is This the Type of Comparison a Senior White House Official Should Be Making?
Incoming White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci ignited a firestorm Wednesday night by accusing Chief of Staff Reince Priebus of leaking his financial disclosure document, and demanded an FBI investigation. The entire story was false, every part of it. Scaramucci’s financial disclosure is publicly available, and was obtained legally by a reporter for Politico.Â
Priebus has not responded. Scaramucci, just like his boss President Trump, chose not to apologize but rather, to change his story to suggest outing leakers is a team effort that Priebus is joining.
The damage has been done.
Scaramucci went on CNN Thursday morning to discuss the situation, and to announce his war on leaks.Â
It’s important to note at this point that he is not yet even a White House employee. The sale of his firm, a hedge fund, “to a Chinese conglomerate is undergoing a regulatory review,” CNN Money reports. Former Obama-era DOJ Chief Spokesperson Matthew Miller weighed in on Scaramucci contacting the FBI and the fact that he’s not supposed to be working in the White House yet, given his financial situation has not yet been resolved:
Sessions talking to Scaramucci about leak probes while his job hangs in the balance & DOJ reviews Scaramucci’s firm sale is a huge scandal.
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) July 27, 2017
But on CNN, Scaramucci had a message for the “leakers.”Â
The soon-to-be White House Communications Director says he wants Trump administration employees to handle the President’s secrets with “honor,” just like Joe Paterno kept secrets.
Scaramucci really quoted freaking Joe Paterno about honor. This is really the stupidest of times.pic.twitter.com/lAhlm2kgq7
— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) July 27, 2017
“On the honor of the job. Remember Joe Paterno? What would he say? ‘Act like you’ve been there before.’ Act with honor and dignity and respect and hold the confidence of the presidency and his office,†Scaramucci said.
The secrets the late Joe Paterno kept disgraced him: he allegedly hid more than a decade of the child sexual abuse of his assistant football coach, Jerry Sandusky.
Is this the type of comparison a senior White House official should be making?
Scaramucci’s comparison ignited another firestorm of a different kind, on Twitter:
Anthony Scaramucci just positively quoted Joe Paterno–who, you know, condoned the rape of children–as a way of responding to criticism. 🙃
— Charles ClymerðŸ³ï¸â€ðŸŒˆ (@cmclymer) July 27, 2017
“Remember Joe Paterno?” Scaramucci actually said this as a positive reference. Not a good look when your administration is mired in scandal.
— Nangbaby (@nangbaby) July 27, 2017
Scaramucci quoting Joe Paterno makes sense since his job for the foreseeable future will be covering up the wrongdoings of his coworkers
— Juggalocialism (@UweBollocks) July 27, 2017
As if his asinine tweet about Reince Priebus wasn’t moronic enough, now Anthony Scaramucci is quoting child molestation enabler Joe Paterno.
— Bill Madden (@activist360) July 27, 2017
To illustrate the “honor of the job” @Scaramucci quoted Joe Paterno, who stood by and did nothing while Jerry Sandusky raped his players. https://t.co/xiydBceIOv
— Anthony De Rosa 🗽 (@Anthony) July 27, 2017
Now @Scaramucci quoting Joe Paterno, guy who turned a blind eye to one of his coaches raping little boys.
— bs dtectr (@bsdtectr) July 27, 2017
@scaramucci why would you bring up Joe Paterno when talking about honor? I was (and still am) a Penn Sate (cont) https://t.co/lJczaCecEd
— tmg84 (@tmg84) July 27, 2017
Scaramucci says we should have honor like Joe Paterno – the guy who kept his mouth shut about crimes of child molestation
Echoes abound pic.twitter.com/Me6ypEJp8z
— Bits and Pieces (@BrutallyRandom) July 27, 2017
OMG now Scaramucci is quoting Joe Paterno. I love how bad this guy is going to be at this job.
— Ryan Yousefi (@Rizzmigizz) July 27, 2017
Â
Â
Â

Enjoy this piece?
… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.
NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.
Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.
![]() |