WASHINGTON, DC — House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio and other Republicans are backing the third-ranked Republican in the U.S. House after it was revealed House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana spoke to a white supremacist hate group twelve years ago.
“More than a decade ago, Representative Scalise made an error in judgment, and he was right to acknowledge it was wrong and inappropriate,” said Boehner. “Like many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I know Steve to be a man of high integrity and good character. He has my full confidence as our Whip, and he will continue to do great and important work for all Americans.”
Scalise is said to be a Tea Party favorite, and even delivered the Republican radio address on Saturday, July 19, 2014. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy also issued a statement of support for Scalise.
In a statement, Scalise said that as a state representative at the time of the speech in 2002, he “spoke to many groups” which included the white supremacist group, in an effort to build support for cutting what he called “wasteful state spending”.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee condemned Scalise in a powerful statement Tuesday.
“Steve Scalise chose to cheerlead for a group of KKK members and neo-Nazis at a white supremacist rally and now his fellow House Republican Leaders can’t even speak up and say he was wrong,” said DCCC National Press Secretary Josh Schwerin. “While David Duke defends Scalise, Speaker Boehner and Leader McCarthy are refusing to condemn Scalise’s choice of allies. Republicans in Congress might talk about improving their terrible standing with non-white voters, but it’s clear their leadership has a history of embracing anti-Semitic, racist hate groups. Republicans are off to a banner start for their new Congress – on the path to break their own record for least popular Congress in history.”
