A Shoe Drops: In what came as a shock but not a surprise, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer resigned yesterday in protest of President Trump’s appointment of financier Anthony Scaramucci as communications director.

Scaramucci immediately appointed the equally-combative substitute briefer Sarah Huckabee Sanders to replace Spicer, then went out to address the reporters.

Asked for the reaction of the press corps to Spicer’s departure, a source told the The Rooney Report, “Lots of dry eyes. Don’t think he will be missed.” The weeping may start under the new regime. Scaramucci’s appointment adds another big combatant to the staff knife fight going on in the White House.

Spicer’s departure either by resignation or firing has long been expected. On the record, he was sweetness and light, saying he stepped down to let the press and communications office get off to a fresh start. Off the record, it was a different Spicer: angry, bitter, and speaking in words that don’t get on network television.

Spicer was in the impossible position of speaking for a president who speaks only for himself. From day one when he was ordered by the President to go before the press and lie about the size of the inauguration crowd, Spicer has been the bearer and defender of Trump’s fictions, misconceptions, reversals, and betrayals.

He’s no Boy Scout, but for his loyalty, he was made into a caricature played by Melissa McCarthy on Saturday Night live.

Pulling the puppet strings on the latest moves is believed to be Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who’s been reported to dislike both Spicer and Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, who brought Spicer into the house. Now, Spicer is free to speak in his own words. The book and network offers must be piling up.

Scarramooch!, Scarramooch!: The new communications director founded the global company SkyBridge Capital and is a frequent contributor to Fox News.

Anthony Scaramucci, a friend of Donald Trump Jr., was appointed after a half-hour meeting with the President and his daughter Ivanka.

Scaramucci, known as “Mooch,” is new to politics and has no experience with press relations, other than being an advocate for Trump on Fox News. As an international hedge fund manager, he was known for throwing an annual wine tasting party in the Swiss Alps. Unlike Spicer, his suits fit.

Two years ago, Scaramucci called Trump a “hack politician.” Now he’s a true Trump man, saying about the President, “I think he’s got some of the best political instructs in the world, and perhaps in history.” Trump couldn’t have said it better himself.

The Russia House: Citing “current and former U.S. officials” familiar with intelligence intercepts, The Washington Post reports that Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak reported back to Moscow that he and then-Sen. Jeff Sessions talked about campaign-related matters, including policy issues important to Moscow, during the 2016 presidential race, contrary to public denials by Sessions, who is now attorney general.

Ambassador Kislyak’s reports about two conversations with Sessions were intercepted by US spy agencies. The Post reports. Sessions failed to disclose the conversations during his confirmation hearings and as a result had to recuse himself from investigations into Russian influence on the election.

President Trump tweeted his objection to the leak of information, but not Sessions’ conversations. “A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post, this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions. These illegal leaks, like Comey’s, must stop!”

Nation: The mayor of Minneapolis asked Police Chief Janee Harteau to resign in the fatal police shooting of an Australian woman who had called the cops to investigate a suspected rape behind her home. Mayor Betsy Hodges said in a statement that, “I’ve lost confidence in the chief’s ability to lead us further.” — Donald Trump Jr. and former campaign manager Paul Manafort are negotiating whether they can be interviewed privately by the Senate committee investigating Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election. The two don’t want to be in a public hearing.

TMI: Investigators who exhumed the body of Spanish artist Salvador Dalí in a paternity lawsuit report that the painter’s waxed cattle-horn moustache is still in perfect condition. Dalí was buried in 1989. It’s terrible to think of what the rest of him might look like, but in fairness, Dalí was also repulsive when he was alive.

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