The Southern Poverty Law Center called for the resignation of the House Majority Whip, Steve Scalise (R-LA), over his participation in a white supremacist conference in 2002.
After the details of Scalise speaking at the European-American Unity and Rights Organization conference came out, Scalise has said that he was unaware of the viewpoints the group held, and that he was simply making a standard speech on proposed state legislation.
“But Scalise’s claim of ignorance is almost impossible to believe,” said the SPLC. “He was a state representative and an aspiring national politician at the time, and Louisiana-based EURO already was well known as a hate group led by America’s most famous white supremacist,” David Duke.
The post continued,
“Scalise … certainly should have known what his dalliance with open white supremacists might cost him. In 1998, a scandal erupted when it was revealed that US Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA) and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) had endorsed and spoken to the Council of Conservative Citizens, a major white supremacist hate group. In late 2002, after singing the praises of segregationist Sen. Strom Thrumond (R-SC), Lott was forced to resign from his leadership post.
Now Steve Scalise should do the same.”
Scalise pretending that he didn’t know what views those in attendance at the EURO conference held is laughable at best. We agree with the SLPC. The sooner Scalise resigns, the better.
