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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Rep.-elect Mia Love, the first black Republican woman elected to Congress, had little to say Tuesday about House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., speaking to a white supremacist group in 2002.
"It is difficult for me to comment on Rep. Scalise's speaking engagement from 12 years ago. I have not spoken with him about that particular day," Love, a Republican, said in a statement.
She also said that all she could say about Scalise, who has been under fire since news surfaced about the speech late Monday, is "from my experience, the majority whip has been extremely helpful to me and all of my colleagues."
Scalise, the House's No. 3 Republican, released a statement Tuesday expressing regret for speaking at a convention of the European-American Unity and Rights Organization, reportedly founded by former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.
"I made a mistake I regret, and I emphatically oppose the divisive racial and religious views groups like this hold. I am very disappointed that anyone would try to infer otherwise for political gain," Scalise said.
He was supported Tuesday by House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, who said Scalise made "an error in judgement" by speaking to the Louisiana group as a state representative and "was right to acknowledge it was wrong and inappropriate."
It is difficult for me to comment on Rep. Scalise's speaking engagement from 12 years ago. I have not spoken with him about that particular day.
–Utah Rep.-elect Mia Love statement
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., also backed Scalise, saying he's "known him as a friend for many years, and I know he does not share the beliefs of this organization."
Love is one of three black Republican members of the 114th Congress, along with Rep.-elect Will Hurd of Texas and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, and has said she will join the Congressional Black Caucus.
Love may be the only Republican among 45 Democratic members of the caucus. She will be sworn in Jan. 6 to the seat held by retiring Rep. Jim Matheson, the only Democratic member of Utah's congressional delegation.
One of five leaders of the caucus, Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., said in a statement that Boehner should investigate Scalise's participation with what she called "a white nationalist organization," according to The Hill.
Contributing: The Associated Press
