Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci is calling for the firing of the White House officials who leaked aide Kelly Sadler’s “dying” joke about Sen. John McCain last week.
“This is inexcusable and should never have been allowed to happen. The culture is like a viper’s next. Kelly Sadler is a good person. I am glad she apologized, and it should pass. But the people who leaked that are gross and should be fired,” Scaramucci tweeted Saturday.
This is inexcusable and should never have been allowed to happen. The culture is like a viper’s next. Kelly Sadler is a good person. I am glad she apologized, and it should pass. But the people who leaked that are gross and should be fired. https://t.co/mzKXX24kCv
— Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) May 12, 2018
Scaramucci conceded that what Sadler said was “inexcusable,” but stood firm on his claims that the bigger issue at hand is the leak itself.
“What she said was inexusable. Who among us have never said something regrettable? If we fired people for every misstatement, everyone would be out of work. It is the breach of trust that is firable,” Scaramucci said.
What she said was inexusable. Who among us have never said something regrettable? If we fired people for every misstatement, everyone would be out of work. It is the breach of trust that is firable. https://t.co/xPyx14k5Es
— Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) May 12, 2018
According to a report from Axios, a White House communication team meeting on Friday centered around the fact that Sadler’s remark was leaked, rather than focusing on the vulgar joke itself.
Members of the White House rallied around Sadler following a influx of criticism from the public.
“You can put this on the record … I stand with Kelly Sadler,” White House strategic communications director Mercedes Schlapp said.
Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney on Saturday criticized the sources of the leaked comment, defending Sadler’s remark as a “joke” made in a “private meeting.
Amid all the leaks to the press, White House chief of staff John Kelly told NPR in an interview published Friday that a reporter once called him his “worst nightmare,” because his presence stopped the leaks.
During his brief tenure as communications director last year, Scaramucci vowed to crack down on information leaks coming from the White House.
