Boehner Issues Statement in Support of Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise
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US Congress(WASHINGTON) — Speaker of the House John Boehner issued a statement on Tuesday in support of Rep. Steve Scalise, the Louisiana congressman who apparently spoke at a 2002 meeting held by a white supremacist group.
“More than a decade ago, Representative Scalise made an error in judgement,” Boehner said Tuesday, adding that he “was right to acknowledge it was wrong and inappropriate.” The Speaker also said that he and many other congressmen “know Steve to be a man of high integrity and good character.”
“[Scalise] has my full confidence as our Whip, and he will continue to do great and important work for all Americans,” Boehner concluded.
Earlier Tuesday, Scalise admitted to the appearance, calling it “a mistake I regret.” He also said that he “emphatically oppose[s] the divisive racial and religious views groups like these hold.”
The speaking engagement was first reported over the weekend by a blogger.
The meeting was held by the European-American Unity and Rights Organization, headed at the time by David Duke, the former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard. Duke confirmed to ABC News on Monday that Scalise had appeared at the meeting, though he could not say whether Scalise “understood” what the meeting was.
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