GOP lawmakers are lining up to berate Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) for comments he made last week regarding white nationalism and white supremacy.
The latest is conservative GOP lawmaker Rep. Mark Meadows (N.C.), who previously served on the Judiciary panel with King and leads the House Freedom Caucus.
“Candidly those kind of remarks are not something that our should be condoned and certainly should be condemned. And I do in the strongest sense. And so at this point – it’s up to the voters of Iowa to determine Steve King’s fate,” Meadows told Hill.TV.
The House in a nearly unanimous vote passed a resolution condemning white nationalism and white supremacy on Tuesday, amid the controversy over King. It does not specifically rebuke King, but follows his comments to the New York Times in an article published last Thursday.
“White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive? Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization?” King asked in the interview.
Late Monday, Romney – a freshman Utah senator and the former 2012 GOP presidential contender – called for King to resign over the comments.
A handful of other GOP officials including Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House GOP Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney (Wyo.) also said King should look for a new job.
Late Monday, House Republicans on the Steering Committee refused to appoint King to any committee assignments.
The top-ranking GOP lawmaker on the Agriculture Committee, Rep. Mike Conaway (Texas), who worked alongside King on that panel, explained that denying King a committee seat makes it more difficult to pass legislation.
But Conaway stopped short of saying King should resign.
“That’s up to him and the voters in his district to decide that – were taking the steps that I think are appropriate for our for our side and we’ll see what Steve does with this new reality he’s in,” he said.
Democratic lawmakers are also calling for King’s resignation.
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) said he “agrees with Mitt Romney.”
“There’s no place in this institution for individuals who espouse white supremacy, and so I think that he needs to, he needs to work another place if that’s what his perspectives are – he continues to say that so I agree with Mitt Romney,” the veteran Democratic lawmaker and member of the Congressional Black Caucus told Hill.TV.
Democratic Rep. John Larson (Conn.) said he “will wait and see what actions follow this – but will see what Steve does.”
— Molly K. Hooper
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