As a professor at Harvard Law School, it makes sense that Donald Trump critic Laurence Tribe would teach students who go on to high-profile gigs. For example: new White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci. This alum said hi to his old teacher Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union, when discussing presidential pardons.
“I took constitutional law from Larry Tribe,” said Scaramucci, a Harvard Law graduate. “And if Professor Tribe is listening–I know he doesn’t like the President–but I did get an A- in your course.”
The professor came up as host Jake Tapper pressed Scaramucci on whether the White House believes the President could pardon himself. The Communications Director’s answer: he wasn’t sure if Trump could do that, but it was a “stupid hypothetical” because POTUS committed no wrongdoing.
A Washington Post report said the President was asking advisers about his pardon power, and whether he could use it on himself. (White House spokespeople, speaking on the record, have said that this never happened.) A special counsel and several congressional committees are investigating alleged collusion between Trump’s campaign and the Russian government during the 2016 election.
As for Professor Tribe, to say he “doesn’t like the President” is a bit of an understatement. He responded Sunday morning to Scaramucci’s CNN appearance.
[Screengrab via CNN]