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Steve Scalise, 'David Duke Without the Baggage,' Drops Out of House Speaker Race
"I will vote for Leader Jeffries and continue my work building bridges between marginalized communities to dismantle the systems of white supremacy enabling violence against our communities," said Rep. Summer Lee.
Oct 12, 2023
Louisiana GOP Congressman Steve Scalise—infamously accused of once calling himself "David Duke without the baggage," referring to a former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard—on Thursday night dropped his bid to become the next speaker of the U.S House of Representatives.
"It's been quite a journey and there's still a long way to go. I just shared with my colleagues that I'm withdrawing my name as a candidate for the speaker designee," Scalise told reporters, acknowledging divisions within his conference.
"This country is counting on us to come back together," he added. "This House of Representatives needs a speaker and we need to open up the House again. But clearly, not everybody is there. And there's still schisms that have to get resolved."
Republicans narrowly selected Scalise, the House majority leader, as the fractured party's nominee during a closed-door, secret-ballot election on Wednesday, but he still lacked the 217 votes needed to be elected speaker.
Some House Republicans prefer Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who is backed by 2024 GOP front-runner former President Donald Trump but reportedly offered to give a nominating speech for Scalise after losing his party's contest.
Throughout the week, House progressives have spoken out against Scalise, with Congresswoman Summer Lee (D-Pa.) saying earlier Thursday:
I'm sickened to learn that years before he was caught calling himself David Duke without the baggage, Scalise spoke at the 2002 international white supremacist convention sponsored by a group whose website said that "Jews will attack us for wanting to restore white America and are responsible for the 'browning' of America" and peddled the same white supremacist and antisemitic replacement theory that motivated the murders of 11 beloved members of my community in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, 10 Black grocery shoppers in Buffalo, 23 Hispanic community members in El Paso, and 51 Muslim worshipers in Christchurch. Every Republican who votes for his speakership will vote in support of rising antisemitism, white supremacy, and Islamophobia.
Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) similarly wrote on social media: "Republicans have chosen a candidate for speaker who has pushed white supremacist and antisemitic conspiracy theories, calling himself 'David Duke without the baggage.' We must be focused on dismantling white supremacy and violence, not allowing them into our leadership."
Reps. Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) have also highlighted the controversial Duke comment, which has haunted the key House Republican for nearly a decade.
Journalist Stephanie Grace wrote for Louisiana's The Advocate in December 2014, "This is what I remember about the first time I met Steve Scalise nearly 20 years ago: He told me he was like David Duke without the baggage."
"The 'baggage,' of course, was Duke's past, his racist and antisemitic views and his former role as a KKK grand wizard," Grace continued. "Scalise disavowed Duke then, as he did once again this week, when blogger Lamar White Jr. revealed that Scalise had spoken in 2002 at a meeting hosted by a Duke-founded white nationalist group."
The Washington Postreported that same week in 2014 that Scalise "confirmed through an adviser that he once appeared at a convention of the European-American Unity and Rights Organization, or EURO. But the adviser said the congressman didn't know at the time about the group's affiliation with racists and neo-Nazi activists."
However, Slatenoted at the time that "Scalise may have just ineptly admitted to speaking at a white supremacist event that eyewitnesses say he never attended." Duke associate Kenny Knight claimed he invited Scalise, then his neighbor and a Louisiana state representative, to address the Jefferson Heights Civic Association in a room of the hotel booked for the conference—a version of events confirmed by Barbara Noble, Knight's ex-girlfriend.
Given Scalise's messy baggage—and solidly right-wing voting record—some Democrats, who last week joined with a small group of far-right Republicans to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as speaker, are advocating for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).
Lee said Thursday that "I will vote for Leader Jeffries and continue my work building bridges between marginalized communities to dismantle the systems of white supremacy enabling violence against our communities."
Rather than directly pitching himself, Jeffries, in a television appearance, called for restructuring the House "in a bipartisan way designed to allow for commonsense things to come to the floor, receive an up-or-down vote, for us to be able to actually move legislation that emerges from the Senate that is bipartisan in nature."
Jeffries stressed that "we just need traditional Republicans to break from their extremist wing and join us in a bipartisan coalition."
The speaker fight comes about a month away from a potential government shutdown and as some House progressives face allegations of antisemitism for speaking out against the Israeli military assault and full blockade of Gaza in retaliation for Hamas' weekend attack—a common tactic supporters of Israel employ to try to discredit criticism of the Israeli government and military's mistreatment of Palestinians, from apartheid to war crimes.
As Common Dreams reported earlier Thursday, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), the first Palestinian American elected to Congress, faces a motion to censure spearheaded by Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Mich.) because she said that "I grieve the Palestinian and Israeli lives lost" while also asserting that "the path to that future must include lifting the blockade, ending the occupation, and dismantling the apartheid system that creates the suffocating, dehumanizing conditions that can lead to resistance."
Fellow "Squad" members including Bush and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) have also endured attacks from fellow Democrats for condemning the killing of civilians on both sides and U.S. support for Israeli military occupation and apartheid.
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'A Toxic Presence in the Party': Ocasio-Cortez Joins Calls for Jay Jacobs to Resign
"India Walton is the Democratic nominee for mayor of Buffalo. No amount of racist misogyny from the old boys' club is going to change that."
Oct 19, 2021
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Tuesday joined progressive colleagues and activists in calling for the resignation or removal of New York Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs after he compared India Walton--a Black woman running for mayor of Buffalo--to former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.
"India Walton is the Democratic nominee for mayor of Buffalo. No amount of racist misogyny from the old boys' club is going to change that," Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) tweeted.
"This is just his latest incident," she added. "Jacobs is a toxic presence in the party and his continued post as chair is shameful."
\u201cAs a federally elected official in the NY Dem party, I have 0 confidence in Jay Jacobs\u2019 ability to lead an NY Dem party that is inclusive & respectful of all.\n\nThis is just his latest incident. Jacobs is a toxic presence in the party and his continued post as Chair is shameful.\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1634668538
Jacobs had sparked outrage Monday after offering a perplexing explanation of why he has not endorsed Walton, a democratic socialist and community activist.
"Let's take a scenario, very different, where David Duke--you remember him, the grand wizard of the KKK--he moves to New York, he becomes a Democrat, he runs for mayor in the city of Rochester, which is a low primary turnout, and he wins the Democratic line," he said. "I have to endorse David Duke? I don't think so."
Although Jacobs later apologized for the comparison and acknowledged that Walton and Duke were "not in the same category," condemnation was swift and strong.
\u201cIt\u2019s been 24 hrs since Jay Jacobs compared the inspiring India Walton\u2014Democratic nominee for Buffalo Mayor\u2014to a KKK leader. His comments are part of a pattern of offensive, exclusionary behavior, and it brings additional shame to the Party that he\u2019s yet to resign or be removed.\u201d— Mondaire Jones (@Mondaire Jones) 1634649306
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called Jacobs' analogy "outrageous and beyond absurd," while U.S. Reps. Jamaal Bowman and Mondaire Jones--both New York Democrats--joined progressive activists in demanding his ouster, with Jones lambasting his continued chairmanship a "shame to the party."
Rana Abdelhamid, a democratic socialist running for the 12th Congressional District seat currently held by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), said in a statement Monday that "from repeatedly attacking young women of color running for office, to protecting disgraced former [Democratic] Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Jay Jacobs is part of the problem."
\u201cYour racism isn't an excuse for your hypocrisy @JayJacobs28.\n\nHow dare you compare @Indiawaltonbflo\u2014soon to be Buffalo's first Black female mayor\u2014to the former grand wizard of the KKK.\n\nYou should resign. Immediately.\u201d— Rana Abdelhamid \u0631\u0627\u0646\u0627 \u0639\u0628\u062f\u0627\u0644\u062d\u0645\u064a\u062f (@Rana Abdelhamid \u0631\u0627\u0646\u0627 \u0639\u0628\u062f\u0627\u0644\u062d\u0645\u064a\u062f) 1634593191
"It's clear," added Abdelhamid, "that Jacobs has no respect for the will of the voters, and that he does not speak for New York Democrats."
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Liz Cheney and Right-Wing Outrage Machine Lie About Rashida Tlaib's Comments. Corporate Media--and Trump--Do the Rest
"This is another transparent attempt to sow division between minority communities and distract from your own criminal behavior by smearing a Muslim woman."
May 13, 2019
A measured and nuanced discussion of the Holocaust, Israel, and Palestinians was intentionally mischaracterized by right-wing media and politicians Sunday, leading to corporate media and the president amplifying dishonest attacks on one of the nation's only two Muslim Congresswomen.
"I will never allow you to take my words out of context to push your racist and hateful agenda" -- Rep. Rashida Tlaib
The controversy comes from remarks made by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) on the Yahoo News podcast "Skullduggery" published Saturday. During the discussion with podcast co-hosts Michael Isikoff and Daniel Klaidman, Tlaib referred to her Palestinian ancestry and reflected on the complicated modern history of her homeland.
"There's, you know, there's a kind of a calming feeling, I always tell folks, when I think of the Holocaust and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors--Palestinians--who lost their land and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence, in many ways, had been wiped out," said Tlaib. "I mean, just all of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post-the Holocaust, post-the tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time."
Tlaib also mused as to whether there had been a better way forward for both people that didn't continue the cycle of persecution and expressed her support for a one-state solution in Israel and Palestine.
"I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that, in many ways," said Tlaib "But they did it in a way that took their human dignity away, right? And it was forced on them. And so, when I think about one-state, I think about the fact that, why couldn't we do it in a better way?"
The comments were seized upon, and then twisted, by Philip Klein, a reporter for the right-wing Washington Examiner. Klein said that Tlaib's comments were "shocking and historically ignorant" and stated--taking the phrase wholly out of context--that Tlaib said the Holocaust left her with a "calming feeling."
Klein's piece was picked up by extreme right-wing figures like Twitter personality David Wohl and Fox News personality Dan Bongino before receiving the endorsement of Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the third most powerful Republican in the House.
Referencing Klein's dishonest framing of Tlaib's "calming feeling" comment, Cheney called on House Democratic leadership to take action against the Michigan representative.
"Surely now @SpeakerPelosi & @LeaderHoyer will finally take action against vile anti-Semitism in their ranks," Cheney tweeted. "This must cross the line, even for them."
\u201cSurely now @SpeakerPelosi\u2069 & \u2066@LeaderHoyer\u2069 will finally take action against vile anti-Semitism in their ranks. This must cross the line, even for them. Rashida Tlaib says thinking of the Holocaust provides her a \u201ccalming feeling\u201d https://t.co/opUUNEol2d\u201d— Liz Cheney (@Liz Cheney) 1557679585
Cheney's tweet was called out on Twitter Sunday evening by James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, who called the Congresswoman's obsession with Tlaib "disgraceful."
"Your party's been playing this game for a decade," said Zogby. "Shame."
\u201c.@Liz_Cheney your obsession w/ targeting @RashidaTlaib or @IlhanMN smacks either of a deep-seated anti-Arab/Muslim bigotry or crass politics designed to prey on the bigotry of your \u201cbase.\u201d In either case it\u2019s disgraceful. Your party\u2019s been playing this game for a decade. Shame.\u201d— James J. Zogby (@James J. Zogby) 1557712184
Cheney's tweet was followed by a statement from Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), who once referred to himself as "David Duke without the baggage," decrying what he described as anti-Semitism.
"All of us, regardless of party, must stand as Americans against the evil of anti-Semitism," said Scalise. "If the Democratic leadership continues to stand by in silence, they are enabling the spread of evil."
Corporate media jumped into the fray, using headlines to frame the controversy in ways that lent credence to the original piece by Klein and its dishonest framing, irrespective of the reporting in the story.
- "House Republicans criticize Rep. Tlaib over remarks on Holocaust, Israel" (The Washington Post)
- "Rashida Tlaib stands by Israel and Holocaust comments amid criticism" (CNN)
- "Rashida Tlaib slammed by House GOP over comments on Holocaust, Palestinians" (Fox News)
President Donald Trump chimed in on Twitter late Monday morning, less than twenty-four hours since the echo-chamber process began, saying Tlaib was being "slammed for her horrible and highly insensitive statement on the Holocaust."
"She obviously has tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people," said Trump. "Can you imagine what would happen if I ever said what she said, and says?"
\u201cDemocrat Rep. Tlaib is being slammed for her horrible and highly insensitive statement on the Holocaust. She obviously has tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people. Can you imagine what would happen if I ever said what she said, and says?\u201d— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1557756558
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), the only other Muslim woman in Congress and herself a frequent target of the president, replied with a withering attack on the president.
"This is another transparent attempt to sow division between minority communities and distract from your own criminal behavior by smearing a Muslim woman," said Omar. "No one should fall for it this time."
\u201cYou praised people at a neo-Nazi rally. We don't have to imagine.\n\nThis is another transparent attempt to sow division b/t minority communities and distract from your own criminal behavior by smearing a Muslim woman.\n\nNo one should fall for it this time.\u201d— Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan Omar) 1557762113
Tlaib's comments were "a nuanced, compassionate way to think about a deeply personal and difficult topic," wroteSplinter's Sophie Weiner. "So, of course, Republicans leapt to take the quotes out of context."
In a statement, Justice Democrats executive director Alexandra Rojas called for House Democratic leadership to support Tlaib.
"We call on Democratic Party leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer to stand with Rashida Tlaib and call on Republican leaders to condemn Representative Cheney and Donald Trump's bad faith attacks," said Rojas.
Tlaib took a firm line against her critics, dismissing their dishonest attacks and making clear that attempts to silence her would "fail miserably."
"I will never allow you to take my words out of context to push your racist and hateful agenda," said Tlaib. "The truth will always win."
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