House Majority Whip Scalise confirms he spoke to white nationalists in 2002

[freebuddy]

House Majority Whip Scalise confirms he spoke to white nationalists in 2002

By Robert Costa and Ed O'Keefe December 29 at 6:05 PM

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), the House majority whip, acknowledged Monday that he spoke at a gathering hosted by white-supremacist leaders while serving as a state representative in 2002, thrusting a racial controversy into House Republican ranks days before the party assumes control of both congressional chambers.

Scalise, 49, who ascended to the House GOPs third-ranking post this year, confirmed through an adviser that he once appeared at a convention of the European-American Unity and Rights Organization, or EURO. But the adviser said the congressman didnt know at the time about the groups affiliation with racists and neo-Nazi activists.

For anyone to suggest that I was involved with a group like that is insulting and ludicrous, Scalise told the Times-Picayune on Monday night. The organization, founded by former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, has been called a hate group by several civil rights organizations.

The news could complicate Republican efforts to project the sense of a fresh start for a resurgent, diversifying party as the new session of Congress opens next week. In the time since voters handed control of Congress to Republicans, top GOP leaders have been eagerly trumpeting their revamped image and management team on Capitol Hill.

Monday night, some Democrats were already raising questions about whether Scalise should remain in a leadership post.

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) says he won a three-way race for majority whip because his coalition was united, and says his election is "a win for America."

Its hard to believe, given David Dukes reputation in Louisiana, that somebody in politics in Louisiana wasnt aware of Dukes associations with the group and what they stand for, said Rep. Joaquin Castro (Tex.), a rising star in the Democratic Party who is considered among the most prominent Hispanics in Congress. If thats the case and he agreed to join them for their event, then I think its a real test for Speaker Boehner as to whether congressman Scalise should remain in Republican leadership, Castro said in a phone interview.

Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.) called the news a big deal.

Race still is, sadly, an ugly aspect of our politics, he said by e-mail. No politician should ever find himself/herself addressing a white supremacist organization except to tell them to go to hell. Associates of House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) are monitoring the situation, and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosis staff had no comment.

Scalises political circle worked furiously late Monday to quell the storm, with his confidants e-mailing reporters and House members, assuring them that Scalise did not know the implications of his actions in 2002 and describing him as a disorganized and ill-prepared young politician who didnt pay close attention to invitations.

When Scalise was asked by the Times-Picayune how he came to appear at the conference, he cited his staff, saying he had only one person working for him at the time. When someone called and asked me to speak, I would go, he said. If I knew today what they were about, I wouldnt go.

In a phone interview late Monday from his home in Mandeville, La., Duke recalled Scalise as a nice guy and said he was invited to the conference by two of Dukes longtime associates: Howie Farrell, who had worked on Dukes gubernatorial campaign, and Kenny Knight.

Scalise says he didnt realize what the conference was. I dont know if he did or did not, Duke said. He also said Scalise should not be forced to resign, saying Scalise was merely taking an opportunity to meet with constituents.

What politician would ever pass up an opportunity to talk to his constituents? Duke said. It sounds like they are just playing politics.

Duke said he spoke to the conference twice, once by phone and later by video hookup. But he did not hear Scalise speak, he said, and does not know whether Scalise heard him speak.

In a statement, Scalises spokeswoman, Moira Bagley Smith, emphasized that the then-state lawmaker was unaware at the time of the groups ideology and mission. He has never been affiliated with the abhorrent group in question, Smith said. The hate-fueled ignorance and intolerance that group projects is in stark contradiction to what Mr. Scalise believes and practices as a father, a husband, and a devoted Catholic.

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), a leading conservative in the House, said in an interview Monday that he stood by Scalise and believed that many conservatives in the Houses hard-right bloc would do the same.

Jesus dined with tax collectors and sinners, King said. Its not the healthy who need a doctor, its the sick. Given that piece of Scripture, and understanding that Scalise probably wasnt staffed thoroughly, I could understand how something like this happened. But I know his heart, Ive painted houses with him post-Katrina, and I know he is a good man.

Scalises appearance at the event was first reported by blogger Lamar White Jr., who manages a Web site on Louisiana politics.

Whites post, which was published Sunday, said Scalise spoke at the Best Western Landmark hotel in Metairie, La., a suburb of New Orleans, as a part of a two-day conference in May 2002.

Duke, a former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, former Louisiana State Representative, and former Republican candidate for Louisiana governor, was attempting to rebrand his movement into something more palatable and less incendiary, and the ambiguous-sounding EURO seemed to do the trick, White wrote.

Ronald Doggett, the head of the Virginia chapter of EURO, said Duke participated in the conference via phone from Russia, where the former KKK leader was living at the time.

Doggett, who attended the conference, said he did not remember hearing Scalise speak but said it would not be unusual for EURO to have contact with local officials.

If that happened, so what? Doggett said in a phone interview Monday. What is the big deal? Theres a different standard for whites than there are for other groups. How is this really news?

Scalises aides said that because of the unavailability of Scalises schedule from that year, they did not have details to share about his appearance or remarks. They said he was a frequent speaker at events at that hotel a hot spot for New Orleans-area conferences.

Scalises defense that he and his staff were not fully cognizant of the groups leanings and the nature of the meeting contrasts with the local news media coverage generated by the Duke-coordinated conclave that spring.

The Gambit Weekly, an alternative publication in New Orleans, wrote days before the conference that the hotel distanced itself from Dukes group. A contract to book this event was made some time ago, and it is our practice to fulfill our contractual obligations, a company spokesman told the publication. Our company does not share the views of this organization.

The Iowa Cubs, a minor league baseball team, also told the Gambit Weekly that they were concerned about housing their players, which included several African Americans, at that hotel while traveling to Louisiana.

Im glad were staying away from it, Pat Listach, then a Cubs coach, said in an interview earlier that month. I wouldnt have been comfortable staying there.

The Duke group drew additional headlines nationally in the weeks before the Louisiana meeting. In mid-May 2002, USA Today reported that the organization was active in South Carolina and had picketed there to support the Confederate flag flying on state Capitol grounds.

In February 2002, The Washington Post reported that Dukes group was organizing in Virginia and demanding that black teenagers be prosecuted for hate crimes against whites.

The news about Scalise, coupled with the unrelated legal troubles of two other GOP lawmakers, could disrupt Republican plans to hit the ground running this January as the party takes full control of Congress.

Rep. Michael G. Grimm (R-N.Y.), who represents Staten Island, pleaded guilty last week to felony tax fraud and on Monday privately signaled he was readying to resign, according to House Republican staffers familiar with his calls to House GOP leaders. And Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Tex.) has been accused by a fired former staffer of creating a hostile work environment. The staffer has sued, alleging that the congressman regularly drank to excess and made sexually inappropriate comments to another co-worker.

A former chairman of the Republican Study Committee the caucus of the most conservative GOP members Scalise was elected majority whip in June, following the defeat of then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a Virginia Republican primary. Cantors loss and subsequent departure from Congress opened up the whip post after then-Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) decided to seek Cantors position as Boehners deputy. Scalise won the third-ranking job on the first ballot.

Shortly after Election Day, Scalise told reporters that he was excited to help lead one of the most diverse Congresses weve ever had.

Im excited about that opportunity to help be a part of this leadership team thats stronger than ever and more focused on the problems this country is facing and working to get our country back on track, he said.

But Scalises engagement with a white-supremacist group might create immediate disquiet for at least two members of the expanded Republican majority.

For the first time in several years, the House GOP conference will include two black members Mia Love, a former mayor of a small Utah town, and Will Hurd, a former CIA operative, who will represent a swing district in Texas. They cast their candidacies as historic, while GOP leaders embraced them as examples of the partys broadening appeal.

Manuel Roig-Franzia contributed to this report.

[MusclePharm]

How does that make you feel OP?

[freebuddy]

How does that make you feel OP?

that I'm not surprised they would elect him, what's your opinion on the OP?

[Miss Korea Bob.Loblaw]

that I'm not surprised they would elect him, what's your opinion on the OP?

That it's not a particularly interesting news story? ....

I have no problems with you not commenting, but your articles are always obscure. Honestly, what can we say about this? It's a minor news story in American politics. What's there to discuss? If you are not even surprised by this, who cares?

People don't think you're reading the articles because you post the headline as is. And on news sites, they're desperate for hits so they make clickbait headlines. "Politician is white supremacist?". We don't want that type of garbage on this forum. You should know by now that this is borderline spam.

[Warhippy]

They're called Republicans or the GoP idiot....

Seriously we made you your VERY own thread and you still clutter things up with this "Original content full of your own opinions and ideas"

Carry on. Your suspension and or subsequent banning shall be celebrated

[EmployeeoftheMonth]

So right wings are racists?!? What a unique perspective.

I wonder how much of this article can be confirmed. I'm left of center for sure but this time of garbage needs to stop. Politically left and right are both equally useless these days because of garbage like this.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/12/30/373955103/rep-steve-scalise-i-went-and-spoke-to-any-group-that-called

Rep. Steve Scalise: 'I Went And Spoke To Any Group That Called'

DECEMBER 30, 2014 8:01 AM ET

Twitter

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Rep. Steve Scalise, the recently elected majority whip in the House, is responding to reports that he spoke at a gathering of white supremacists.

Scalise, a Republican from Louisiana, says he doesn't remember speaking before before a convention of the European-American Unity and Rights Organization in 2002. But, if he did, he was not aware of the kind of positions the group took.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which classifies EURO as a white nationalist group, the organization was founded by former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.

In an interview with the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Scalise, whose position makes him the third highest-ranking Republican in the House, said at the time of his speech, he had no idea the group was associated with Duke, and had he known, he never would have appeared before them.

Scalise said that at the time, he was campaigning against the Stelly tax plan, which increased income tax in Louisiana.

He told the Times-Picayune:

"I don't have any records from back in 2002, but when people called and asked me to speak to groups, I went and spoke to groups. It was myself and [former state Sen.] James David Cain who were opposed to the Stelly tax plan.

"I was the only legislator from the New Orleans area who was opposed to the plan publicly, so I was asked to speak all around the New Orleans region. I would go and speak about how this tax plan was bad."

At the time, Scalise said, he didn't have a scheduler or the benefit of Google.

He went on:

"If I knew today what they were about, I wouldn't go. My staff, they are able to vet organizations. We turn down requests from organizations we don't approve of.

"Now, I still go speak to people who don't think like me. I'll go speak to liberal groups a lot. But a group like this? I would not go to speak to. They don't share my values.

"You can talk to [New Orleans U.S. Rep.] Cedric Richmond. ... He knows what kind of person I am.

"It's insulting and offensive for anybody to insinuate that I would affiliate with a group like that."

The Washington Post spoke to David Duke on Monday night. He said Scalise was asked to speak by "two of Duke's longtime associates."

The Post adds:

"Scalise 'says he didn't realize what the conference was. I don't know if he did or did not,' Duke said. He also said Scalise should not be forced to resign, saying Scalise was merely taking an opportunity to meet with 'constituents.'

" 'What politician would ever pass up an opportunity to talk to his constituents?' Duke said. 'It sounds like they are just playing politics.' "

It's worth noting that in 1999, Scalise was interviewed by Roll Call about the possibility that Duke would run for a congressional seat.

Scalise sounds like an idiot. He'd be perfect for either party.

[Tearloch7]

Politics as usual .. usually the scum ends up floating to the surface ..

[bigbadcanucks]

That it's not a particularly interesting news story? ....Kinda like most of the things you post?

I have no problems with you not commenting, but your articles are always obscure. Honestly, what can we say about this? It's a minor news story in American politics. What's there to discuss? If you are not even surprised by this, who cares?

People don't think you're reading the articles because you post the headline as is. And on news sites, they're desperate for hits so they make clickbait headlines. "Politician is white supremacist?". We don't want that type of garbage on this forum. You should know by now that this is borderline spam.

Killer post.^^^^^

[GLASSJAW]

That it's not a particularly interesting news story? ....Kinda like most of the things you post?

I have no problems with you not commenting, but your articles are always obscure. Honestly, what can we say about this? It's a minor news story in American politics. What's there to discuss? If you are not even surprised by this, who cares?

People don't think you're reading the articles because you post the headline as is. And on news sites, they're desperate for hits so they make clickbait headlines. "Politician is white supremacist?". We don't want that type of garbage on this forum. You should know by now that this is borderline spam.

news is news. if you aren't interested in reading it, you shouldn't come to Off Topic. why i find myself constantly defending freebuddy is beyond me, but without his posts, or similar ones, a lot of OT would just be people looking for gore to post; "TEN DEAD IN EDMONTON MASSACRE" -- "A BUNCH OF KIDS KILLED IN NORTH DAKOTA SCHOOL" etc. Things WHERE THERE IS ACTUALLY NOTHING TO SAY. it's just shock news, completely irrelevant to most people in BC on this forum.

as for the content of your post, it seems like he took the article from The Washington Post, and that the story itself is getting serious discussion on most significant news websites in America. Slate.com, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The New Republic, and Fox news all have it as a homepage headline as of my typing this.

it's neither an obscure story, nor is it a clickbait one -- it's simply a major political figure being put in an awkward position and now people are discussing it -- as people should do when their elected officials are put in awkward situations by their own (un)doing

[GLASSJAW]

So right wings are racists?!? What a unique perspective.

I wonder how much of this article can be confirmed. I'm left of center for sure but this time of garbage needs to stop. Politically left and right are both equally useless these days because of garbage like this.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/12/30/373955103/rep-steve-scalise-i-went-and-spoke-to-any-group-that-called

Rep. Steve Scalise: 'I Went And Spoke To Any Group That Called'

DECEMBER 30, 2014 8:01 AM ET

Twitter

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Rep. Steve Scalise, the recently elected majority whip in the House, is responding to reports that he spoke at a gathering of white supremacists.

Scalise, a Republican from Louisiana, says he doesn't remember speaking before before a convention of the European-American Unity and Rights Organization in 2002. But, if he did, he was not aware of the kind of positions the group took.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which classifies EURO as a white nationalist group, the organization was founded by former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.

In an interview with the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Scalise, whose position makes him the third highest-ranking Republican in the House, said at the time of his speech, he had no idea the group was associated with Duke, and had he known, he never would have appeared before them.

Scalise said that at the time, he was campaigning against the Stelly tax plan, which increased income tax in Louisiana.

He told the Times-Picayune:

"I don't have any records from back in 2002, but when people called and asked me to speak to groups, I went and spoke to groups. It was myself and [former state Sen.] James David Cain who were opposed to the Stelly tax plan.

"I was the only legislator from the New Orleans area who was opposed to the plan publicly, so I was asked to speak all around the New Orleans region. I would go and speak about how this tax plan was bad."

At the time, Scalise said, he didn't have a scheduler or the benefit of Google.

He went on:

"If I knew today what they were about, I wouldn't go. My staff, they are able to vet organizations. We turn down requests from organizations we don't approve of.

"Now, I still go speak to people who don't think like me. I'll go speak to liberal groups a lot. But a group like this? I would not go to speak to. They don't share my values.

"You can talk to [New Orleans U.S. Rep.] Cedric Richmond. ... He knows what kind of person I am.

"It's insulting and offensive for anybody to insinuate that I would affiliate with a group like that."

The Washington Post spoke to David Duke on Monday night. He said Scalise was asked to speak by "two of Duke's longtime associates."

The Post adds:

"Scalise 'says he didn't realize what the conference was. I don't know if he did or did not,' Duke said. He also said Scalise should not be forced to resign, saying Scalise was merely taking an opportunity to meet with 'constituents.'

" 'What politician would ever pass up an opportunity to talk to his constituents?' Duke said. 'It sounds like they are just playing politics.' "

It's worth noting that in 1999, Scalise was interviewed by Roll Call about the possibility that Duke would run for a congressional seat.

Scalise sounds like an idiot. He'd be perfect for either party.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2014/12/30/scalise_seeks_distance_from_duke_s_white_supremacist_group.html

this guy, former KKK honcho says that Scalise (probably? maybe? certainly?) knew of the white supremacist connection -- but I guess there's no way of knowing for sure.

[EmployeeoftheMonth]

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2014/12/30/scalise_seeks_distance_from_duke_s_white_supremacist_group.html

this guy, former KKK honcho says that Scalise (probably? maybe? certainly?) knew of the white supremacist connection -- but I guess there's no way of knowing for sure.

One would have to think this guy has people to vet whoever he's going to see.

Maybe he does just go see whoever asks for him but I would have a hard time believing he had no clue who they were. Maybe I just hope nobody would be that dumb?