Did Representative Steve Scalise (R) speak to a gathering of white supremacists?
Just the fact that the question is being asked seems like bad news for Steve Scalise and the Republican party.
Slate reported that he didn’t but, as ThinkProgress points out, his supposed alibi has fallen apart.
Two days ago, Slate ran a piece quoting Kenny Knight, a close associate of David Duke, who booked the room for the white supremacist group, known as EURO. Knight claimed that he invited Scalise to speak to the “Jefferson Heights Civic Association, which was largely comprised of elderly people who lived in his and Scalise’s neighborhood.” The meeting of the civic association, Knight said, just happened to be held in the same room as the EURO conference held later that day.
Right. It was just a coincidence. Of course.
The Times-Picayune of New Orleans uncovered documents showing that Knight was the treasurer of EURO, the group Steve Scalise spoke to, and that he issued a press release about the event in question.
So did Scalise speak to them? Yes.
It doesn’t seem to matter, however. It may matter to voters and constituents, but it doesn’t matter to House Republican leadership who have chosen to stand by Scalise as the Majority Whip.
I can’t think of a more awkward and unfortunate, and appropriate, title for Scalise.