House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) offered his support for House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) following revelations that the Louisiana lawmaker once spoke to a group of white supremacists in 2002.
“He has my full confidence as our Whip, and he will continue to do great and important work for all Americans,” Boehner said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
Monday, Scalise acknowledged speaking to The European-American Unity and Rights Organization (EURO), a David Duke- created group, but denied involvement with the organization.
“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,” Scalise told the The Times-Picayune.
Scalise has taken hits and been defended by those on both the left and right sides of the aisle following the news.
The top Republican in the House, however, stressed that he remains confident in his number three.
“More than a decade ago, Representative Scalise made an error in judgment, and he was right to acknowledge it was wrong and inappropriate,” Boenher said. “Like many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I know Steve to be a man of high integrity and good character.