Black leaders meet with Steve Scalise
Leading black lawmakers met with embattled GOP Whip Steve Scalise last week to discuss a path forward after reports surfaced that the Louisiana Republican spoke at a Ku Klux Klan-associated conference while serving in the state Legislature. The meeting last Tuesday was orchestrated by Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.) and included Congressional Black Caucus Chairman G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), three other black lawmakers and Scalise. Butterfield said it was a productive meeting that he hoped would be the start of an âongoing conversation.â Story Continued Below The North Carolina Democrat said he invited Scalise to an anniversary event in Selma, Alabama, to commemorate the civil rights march that occurred there in 1965. âI expressed my great disappointment over his missteps over the last 12 years,â Butterfield said. âBut I also expressed to him that we cannot dwell on his missteps forever and, at some point, we have to pivot to the future.â Richmond, who is black, was one of the first lawmakers to defend Scalise after reports surfaced that he spoke by videolink to a European-American Unity and Rights Organization event in 2002. The organization was founded by former KKK leader David Duke. Butterfield said the meeting was a chance for Scalise to move forward with African-American lawmakers, who asked the Republican to line up sponsors to a Voting Rights Act amendment. Also in attendance were members of the CBC executive board, which includes Reps. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Andre Carson (D-Ind.) and Karen Bass (D-Calif.). Bass said she pushed Scalise during the meeting on a bipartisan piece of legislation she wants to see move more quickly through the House. âI had a good relationship with him and his wife so when the information about the speech came out, of course I was very surprised. I think most importantly, it opened up a relationship between Scalise and the Congressional Black Caucus,â said Bass, who noted she has traveled on congressional trips with Scalise. âIt really began a process. It was positive overall.â Scalise separately met with Assistant Democratic Leader Rep. James Clyburn â the highest-ranking African-American in the House. On Tuesday, Scalise met with Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League â who was an outspoken critic after press reports first surfaced about the 2002 conference. Morial said he asked Scalise to make a speech on the House floor denouncing EUROâs views and facilitate further meetings between civil rights leaders and GOP House leaders. The civil rights leader said he was undecided if Scalise should step down from his post as the No. 3 Republican in the House. âI have been asked whether I would join calls for Rep. Scaliseâs resignation, and following todayâs meeting, I remain undecided. I am, however, hopeful that moving forward Rep. Scalise will demonstrate that he is serious about acting in good faith to build relationships across the board that can result in addressing critical issues of national concern â beyond ideology and for the good of all Americans, not a select few,â Morial said. Scaliseâs office didnât return a request for comment.