Senior US lawmaker under fire over speech to racists
'White nationalist' anti-Semitic group was founded by notorious former Klu Klux Klan grand wizard.
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The number three figure in the Republican majority in the US House of Representatives came under attack on Tuesday after he admitted giving a speech to a racist group.
Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the Republican house whip, confirmed on Monday that in 2002 he gave an address to the European-American Unity and Rights Organization (EURO).
The "white nationalist" anti-Semitic group was founded by notorious former Klu Klux Klan grand wizard and Louisiana politician David Duke, but Scalise insisted he was not aware of its agenda.
"When people asked me to go speak, I went and spoke to any group that called," he told Louisiana newspaper The Times-Picayune.
"I didn t know who all of these groups were and I detest any kind of hate group. For anyone to suggest that I was involved with a group like that is insulting and ludicrous," he insisted.
"I don t support any of the things I have read about this group, but I spoke to a lot of groups during that period. I went all throughout South Louisiana."
Scalise s attendance at the 2002 EURO convention was revealed by Louisiana political blog CenLamar.com based in part on an old posting on the well-known neo-Nazi Internet forum Stormfront.
The Republican Party won last month s US midterm elections, taking control of the Senate and strengthening its hold on the House of Representatives for the new Congress starting in January.
Democrats seized on the revelations to call on House Speaker John Boehner to sack Scalise from his leadership role.
"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," Representative Joaquin Castro of Texas told the Washington Post.
Democratic Communications Committee communications director Mo Elleithee poured scorn on the idea that Scalise -- then a state legislator -- might not have been aware of the group s reputation.
"Seriously? He didn t know?" he demanded.
"The group was named the European-American Unity and Rights Organization, it was founded by David Duke and he was invited by two of Duke s longtime associates.
"It doesn t get much more clear than that. Does he not believe that speaking to an anti-Semitic hate group legitimizes them and elevates their racist and divisive existence?"
Republicans won the recent Congressional election with the support of conservative white voters, but analysts warn they will struggle to win over blacks and Hispanics in future presidential races.
