After reports surfaced online, New House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) has come out to admit that he did indeed speak at a White-Supremacist convention back in 2002. The group, European-American Unity and Rights Organization, held a two-day event in Louisiana and Scalise was reportedly one of the key speakers at the event during his time as a Louisana state representative in 2002. From The Washington Post:
Scalise, 49, who ascended to the House GOP’s 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 didn’t know at the time about the group’s 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.
How do you not know you’re speaking to a group with questionable moral standing when that group was founded by David Duke? Duke is a former Grand Wizard (not as cool as it sounds) in the Ku Klux Klan, a noted Holocaust denier, and the definition of what one would call a bigot. I guess the fact that he was also a Lousiana state representative trumps all of that in terms of “respectability,” but who knows. Scalise did have an excuse of course:
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 wouldn’t go.”
I guess you couldn’t do computer searches back in 2002. Probably had to dig to possibly find that your speaking engagement might not be the best idea. If curious about what he might’ve found, go read the original article by Louisiana blogger Lamar White Jr to get the best picture of why:
But make no mistake: EURO was and still is a recognized hate group. It espouses and promotes racist, bigoted, anti-Semitic propaganda and considers the “white race” to be genetically, culturally, intellectually, physically, and spiritually superior to all others. In 2007, Ian Mosley, a writer for EURO, in an article on its now-defunct website titled “Germans Still Remember Their Historical Greatness,” wrote (bold mine):
The beautiful Germany of the 1930s with blonde children happily running through every village has been replaced with a multi-racial cesspool. Out of work Africans can be seen shuffling along the same streets, which used to be clean and safe in the days of the National Socialists. One day, people in Germany will grow tired of the politically correct police state that is destroying their lives. They will recover their national pride and start speaking the truth about their past regardless of what the militant lesbians or thought police tell them. Once that happens, Germany may finally be a great nation again -free of foreign control.
Certainly sounds like their objectives were a little hazy. Either way, it should be fine to attend and be the key speaker at the event. No worries at all. But what does this mean here, now, right before the new batch of Congressional heroes enter office and attempt to lead us back to the promised shining city on a hill? Obviously many on the other side are upset and it all looks pretty bad given recent events:
“It’s hard to believe, given David Duke’s reputation in Louisiana, that somebody in politics in Louisiana wasn’t aware of Duke’s 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 that’s the case and he agreed to join them for their event, then I think it’s 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 Pelosi’s staff had no comment. (via)
Personally, I don’t see anything great coming from it. Considering that Robert Byrd was a card carrying member of the Klan, but turned out to be one of the strongest members of Congress in history is something that should be noted. They’re not on the same level, but it is equally scummy. Throw in that usually strong GOP support and I think they’ll do everything they can to let this blow over.
Also Scalise already took the proper political route, the Herman Cain method as I like to call it. He denied all knowledge and barely acknowledge what the group actually stands for, despite facts and evidence to the contrary. It’s perfect politics. David Duke actually sums it up the best:
“What politician would ever pass up an opportunity to talk to his constituents?” Duke said. “It sounds like they are just playing politics.” (via)
That’s what it is all about. Stretching the truth and bending around scandal until you just can’t bend any more, all while pandering to whatever group will garner you the most votes. I wish it wasn’t like that, but what can you do? It is at least something to keep an eye on, though.
(Via CenLamar / Washington Post / Boing Boing)