After being overwhelmed by the GOP tsunami in November, it appears the left-leaning press is dipping its toe back in the water and doing its job of propping up Democrats by performing opposition research on Republicans. Today’s shocking finding: newly elected House majority whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) spoke at a meeting of white nationalists in 2002.
The European-American Unity and Rights Organization, founded by David Duke, has been listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (for what that’s worth; the SPLC also considers the Family Research Council a hate group for its “specialty” of defaming gays and lesbians).
Speaking before a white supremacist group is no small matter, but did Scalise even know at the time that that’s what the European-American Unity and Rights Organization is? The Washington Post’s Robert Costa co-wrote the story, but it wasn’t long before all of the usual suspects pitched in to support the accusation.
Breaking: Scalise spokesperson acknowledges in a statement to Post that he likely spoke at 2002 gathering of white nat'l ldrs
— Robert Costa (@costareports) December 29, 2014
But Scalise spokesperson says he was unaware of group's "hate-fueled ignorance and intolerance" at the time, poorly staffed
— Robert Costa (@costareports) December 29, 2014
Scalise spokesperson said Scalise was there as part of a run-of-the-mill appearance, talking state politics
— Robert Costa (@costareports) December 29, 2014
Racial controversy: GOP House whip Scalise acknowledges speaking at '02 white supremacist event @costareports reports http://t.co/rkaLLvsPr4
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) December 29, 2014
https://twitter.com/JeffreyGoldberg/status/549668962221694976
https://twitter.com/Max_Fisher/status/549669622979784705
House majority whip Scalise acknowledges speaking at white nationalist event in 2002 http://t.co/ieKo4rkvQX
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) December 29, 2014
REPUBLICANS enter 2015 w Grimm pleading guilty to tax fraud. Scalise battling story ab hanging w white supremacists, Farenthold lawsuit
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) December 29, 2014
Scalise allies say he was unaware of the group's associations at the time. A Nexis search shows EURO/Duke got sig. press in 2002.
— Robert Costa (@costareports) December 29, 2014
The Best Western hotel, where Duke event was held, publicly rebuked the event days before Scalise spoke
— Robert Costa (@costareports) December 29, 2014
"… Our company does not share the views of this organization." Best Western to Gambit Weekly (NOLA pub), days before Scalise spoke
— Robert Costa (@costareports) December 29, 2014
In 2004, 2 years after allegedly addressing Neo-Nazi conference, Scalise was 1 of 6 lawmakers to vote against MLK Day http://t.co/gRaCwDSynm
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) December 29, 2014
When reached by e-mail Monday, a White House aide declined to comment on Scalise.
— Robert Costa (@costareports) December 29, 2014
NEWT stands by Scalise. Just now, in lengthy e-mail to the Post, he blasts the press and supports the GOP whip.
— Robert Costa (@costareports) December 29, 2014
Gingrich: "This is an absurdity. Twelve years ago Scalise made a mistake in judgment while giving speeches on the state budget…"
— Robert Costa (@costareports) December 29, 2014
https://twitter.com/johnhawkinsrwn/status/549710224240947202
Sounds fair. Again, what really impresses us is how quickly the media can perform those Nexis searches when they want to, and yet miss so very much.
https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/549670423252959232
Question: Is the Media Bubble going to give every Democrat who has spoken at an Al Sharpton event some criticism?
— RBe (@RBPundit) December 29, 2014
Scalise gave a speech he had been giving all over the state to a sketchy group. News. Obama launched his career at a terrorists house. ?
— RBe (@RBPundit) December 29, 2014
Politicians speak in front of all sorts of groups while campaigning. It isn't like Scalise was in a racist church for two decades, folks.
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) December 29, 2014
GOP shouldn't tolerate anyone who speaks to a David Duke group. And Dems shouldn't tolerate anyone who invites Sharpton to the WH 81 times.
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) December 29, 2014
Three words for people outraged about something Steve Scalise did in 2002: Robert C. Byrd.
— Kyle Raccio (@kyleraccio) December 29, 2014
Bill Clinton wished "many years of continuing success" to SPLC-declared white supremacist organization. pic.twitter.com/xe1GVTGFHz
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) December 29, 2014
Yes, Bill Clinton did send his best wishes to a group the SPLC says arose from “those resisting racial integration in the 1950s and 1960s” and “overlaps with the views of white nationalists and other more radical extremist groups.”
Speaking of Bill Clinton, enter the man former Vice President Al Gore declared “this generation’s Edward R. Murrow.”
"Scalise, discussed ways to oversee gross mismanagement of tax revenue or “slush funds”… " https://t.co/lUyAAtMexE
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) December 29, 2014
Seriously?
@chrislhayes ummm…I don't want to click on that link.
— Darin Harvey (@Darin1981) December 29, 2014
Holy sh*t. They are actually digging through the comment sections on Stormfront? Really? https://t.co/jJXRuSkjpW
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) December 29, 2014
.@chrislhayes Stormfront? Seriously? @msnbc is now using white supremacist sites as sources? Then again, Dem's did start the KKK…
— Alex P Keaton (@I_Hate_Hippies) December 29, 2014
You will NEVER see reporters searching the comment sections of hate websites for praise of Democrats. Nor should you. #NotJournalism
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) December 29, 2014
Speaking of #NotJournalism, the Huffington Post’s Sam Stein also found a mention of Scalise at Stormfront.
From a 2004 post on Stormfront pic.twitter.com/99wEqSCg8V
— Sam Stein (@samstein) December 29, 2014
What's your login at Stormfront, Sam? @samsteinhp
— RBe (@RBPundit) December 29, 2014
https://twitter.com/BecketAdams/status/549683342648422400
They can fire up the Google machine at a moment’s notice when they want to.
I'll believe the left actually cares about racism when they attack people politically aligned with them over it.
— Frank J. Fleming (@IMAO_) December 30, 2014
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