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House Majority Whip Scalise confirms he spoke to white nationalists in 2002 House Majority Whip Scalise confirms he spoke to white nationalists in 2002
(about 3 hours later)
Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), the newly elected House majority whip, acknowledged Monday that he spoke at a gathering hosted by white nationalist 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. 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.
The 48-year-old Scalise, who ascended to the House GOP’s third-ranking post earlier this year, confirmed through an adviser that he once appeared at a convention of the European-American Unity and Rights Organization. The 49-year-old Scalise, 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. But the adviser said the congressman didn’t know at the time about the group’s affiliation with racists and neo-Nazi activists.
That organization, founded by former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, has been called a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The organization, founded by former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, has been called a hate group by several civil rights organizations.
“Beyond hosting a Web site, whitecivilrights.com, and staging an occasional conference, EURO is a paper tiger, serving primarily as a vehicle to publicize Duke’s writing and sell his books,” the SPLC writes on its Web site. 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.
In a statement, Scalise’s spokesperson Moira Bagley emphasized that the then-state lawmaker was unaware at the time of the group’s ideology and its association with racists and neo-Nazi activists. But Monday night, some Democrats were already raising questions about whether Scalise should remain in a leadership post.
Other Scalise allies, who requested anonymity to speak candidly, argued that Scalise was poorly staffed during the period, when he was busy touring the state promoting his efforts to curb state spending. “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 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.
“Throughout his career in public service, Mr. Scalise has spoken to hundreds of different groups with a broad range of viewpoints,” Bagley said. “In every case, he was building support for his policies, not the other way around. In 2002, he made himself available to anyone who wanted to hear his proposal to eliminate slush funds that wasted millions of taxpayer dollars as well as his opposition to a proposed tax increase on middle-class families.” Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.) called the news “a big deal.”
She added, “He has never been affiliated with the abhorrent group in question. 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.” “Race still is, sadly, an ugly aspect of our politics,” he wrote in an e-mail. “No politician should ever find himself/herself addressing a white supremicist organization except to tell them to go to hell.”
Scalise’s 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 described him as a disorganized and ill-prepared young politician who didn’t pay close attention to invitations. Scalise’s 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 didn’t pay close attention to invitations.
“It was a crazy time and I doubt there was a lot of checking up on who was who,” e-mailed one former Scalise adviser, who like others requested anonymity to discuss the matter. “It really wasn’t until 2004 that he started sitting down and evaluating speaking engagements and questionnaires. Even then he really didn’t get a handle on schedule until he ran for state senate in 2007 and then congress the year after.” “It was a crazy time and I doubt there was a lot of checking up on who was who,” e-mailed one former Scalise adviser, who commented by e-mail on the condition of anonymity because of the political sensitivity. “It really wasn’t until 2004 that he started sitting down and evaluating speaking engagements and questionnaires.”
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 his longtime associates: Howie Farrell, who had worked on Duke’s gubernatorial campaign, and Kenny Knight.
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.”
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, Scalise’s spokeswoman, Moira Bagley Smith, emphasized that the then-state lawmaker was unaware at the time of the group’s 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.”
The office of House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) said it was monitoring the situation.
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 House’s hard-right bloc would do the same.
“Jesus dined with tax collectors and sinners,” King said. “It’s not the healthy who need a doctor, it’s the sick. Given that piece of Scripture, and understanding that Scalise probably wasn’t staffed thoroughly, I could understand how something like this happened. But I know his heart, I’ve painted houses with him post-Katrina, and I know he is a good man.”
Scalise’s appearance at the event was first reported by blogger Lamar White Jr., who manages a Web site on Louisiana politics.Scalise’s appearance at the event was first reported by blogger Lamar White Jr., who manages a Web site on Louisiana politics.
White’s post, which was published Sunday, said that Scalise spoke at the Landmark Best Western Hotel in Metairie, La., a suburb of New Orleans, in May 2002, as a part of a two-day conference. White’s post, which was published Sunday, said Scalise spoke at the Best Western Landmark hotel in Metairie, La., a suburb of New Orleans, in May 2002 as a part of a two-day conference.
“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.“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.
White also included an image of an invitation to the convention, which advertised discounted $89 per night rooms for the “workshop on civil rights.” 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.
Scalise’s aides said due to the unavailability of Scalise’s schedule from that year, they did not have details to share about his appearance or remarks, but said he was a frequent speaker at a variety of events at that hotel—a hotspot for New Orleans-area conventions. 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.
Scalise’s defense — that he was not fully cognizant of the group’s leanings and the nature of the meeting — contrasts with the local press coverage generated by the Duke-coordinated conclave that spring. “If that happened, so what?” Doggett said in a phone interview Monday. “What is the big deal? There’s a different standard for whites than there are for other groups. How is this really news?”
Scalise’s aides said that because of the unavailability of Scalise’s schedule from that year, they did not have details to share about his appearance or remarks. They said he was a frequent speaker at a variety of events at that hotel — a hot spot for New Orleans-area con
Scalise’s defense — that he was not fully cognizant of the group’s 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 Duke’s group and expressed its discomfort.The Gambit Weekly, an alternative publication in New Orleans, wrote days before the conference that the hotel distanced itself from Duke’s group and expressed its discomfort.
“A contract to book this event was made some time ago, and it is our practice to fulfill our contractual obligations,” a company spokesperson told the publication. “Our company does not share the views of this organization.” “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. 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.
“I’m glad we’re staying away from it,” says Cubs coach Pat Listach, in an interview earlier that month. “I wouldn’t have been comfortable staying there.” “I’m glad we’re staying away from it,” said Cubs coach Pat Listach in an interview earlier that month. “I wouldn’t 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.
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. Months earlier, in February 2002, The Washington Post reported that Duke’s group was organizing in Virginia and “demanding that black teenagers be prosecuted for hate crimes against whites.”
Months earlier, in February 2002, the Washington Post reported that Duke’s 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.
Former Mississippi governor Haley Barbour (R), said in an interview Monday that Duke’s views are “awful and indefensible and wrong,” but declined to comment on Scalise’s situation. Rep. Michael G. Grimm (R-N.Y.), who represents Staten Island, pleaded guilty last week to felony tax fraud but has said he will not resign despite calls from Democrats that he step down. 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.
“David Duke tried to lead the GOP in the wrong direction and he failed miserably,” said Barbour, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee. “He is somebody who tried to revive his career as a Ku Klux Klan leader when so few people were willing to follow that banner. The press lionized him and made it sound like he had a big following, but he did not.” 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. Cantor’s loss and subsequent departure from Congress opened up the whip post after then- Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) decided to seek Cantor’s position as Boehner’s deputy.
Several lawmakers in both parties contacted late Monday declined to speak publicly on the matter, saying that they wouldn’t comment until they have read more about the situation and assessed the political fallout. Scalise won the third-ranking job on the first ballot.
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Tex.), a rising star in the Democratic Party considered among the most prominent Hispanics in Congress, said that if the incident is true, it “raises serious questions about the judgment of an elected official who would eagerly agree to join a group like that for an event.” Shortly after Election Day, Scalise told reporters that he was excited to help lead “one of the most diverse Congresses we’ve ever had.”
“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,” Castro said in a phone interview. “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.” “I’m excited about that opportunity to help be a part of this leadership team that’s stronger than ever and more focused on the problems this country is facing and working to get our country back on track,” he said.
It is not yet known whether video of Scalise’s comments from 2002 is available and his office said it does not have documentation related to his time at the meeting. But Scalise’s engagement with a white supremacist group might create immediate problems for at least two members of the expanded Republican majority.
Reacting online, some conservatives sounded surprised that the low-key Scalise, who is known for his hard-line politics and easy demeanor, was drawing intense national scrutiny. And they wondered aloud how the congressman had ended up at the event. 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 party’s broadening appeal.
“How do you show up at a David Duke Event and not know what it is,” said Erick Erickson, a RedState blogger, in a Twitter message. Manuel Roig-Franzia contributed to this report.
In the months since voters handed control of Congress to Republicans, top GOP leaders have been eagerly projecting the sense of a fresh start and new management on Capitol Hill as the new session convenes next week. But the news about Scalise, coupled with the unrelated legal troubles of two other GOP lawmakers, could disrupt those plans.
Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.), who represents Staten Island, pleaded guilty last week to felony tax fraud, but has said that he will not resign, despite calls from Democrats that he step down. And Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Tex.) has been accused by a fired former staffer of creating a hostile work environment. The staffer has filed a lawsuit claiming the congressman “regularly drank to excess” and made sexually inappropriate comments to another co-worker.
Shortly after Election Day when Republicans took control of the Senate and expanded the House GOP majority to the largest it’s been since the 1920s, Scalise told reporters that he was excited to help lead “one of the most diverse Congresses we’ve ever had.”
“I’m excited about that opportunity to help be a part of this leadership team that’s stronger than ever and more focused on the problems this country is facing and working to get our country back on track,” he added.
Scalise’s associations with a white supremacist group might also create immediate problems 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 small town Utah mayor, who defeated a longtime Democratic incumbent to represent a Salt Lake City-area district; and Will Hurd, a former CIA operative, who will represent a swing district stretching from San Antonio to El Paso. They both cast their candidacies as historic while party leaders embraced them as examples of the Republican Party’s broadening appeal.
Manuel Roig-Franzia contributed to this story.