An article in the Harvard Crimson quotes from a letter to Harvard President Drew Faust from Nate Little, Chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party, requesting that Harvard stop paying Elizabeth Warren. Little writes:
For Harvard to continue to employ her as a candidate is inconsistent with the academic mission of the college; detracts from the work that she would be expected to perform as a member of the faculty; and creates the impression that Harvard endorses, supports and is in fact subsidizing her campaign
Apart from the questionable grammar (“employ her as a candidate”?), the implication is that any faculty member running for political office must resign their position. Is there any other field in which that’s true? And there’s only dimly concealed envy here in the idea that by paying her a salary Harvard is “subsidizing her candidacy.” How important do we think Warren’s own contributions to her campaign from her salary really are—or ever will be.
Here’s a counter-proposal. Warren agrees to take an unpaid leave from Harvard through November, 2012 if and only if Scott Brown takes an unpaid leave from the Senate for the same period.
