White House press secretary Sarah Sanders on Wednesday denounced comments by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, that many have deemed racist, calling them “abhorrent.”
“Steve King’s comments were abhorrent, and the Republican leadership, unlike Democrats, have actually taken action when their members have said outrageous and inappropriate things,” Sanders told reporters.
King has come under scrutiny from Republicans and Democrats alike for comments he made to the New York Times that indicated support for white nationalism and white supremacy.
“White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?” King told the New York Times. “Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization?”
The Republican congressman’s remarks were immediately criticized, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said Monday that King would be stripped of his committee assignments this Congress, which include seats on the House Judiciary, Agriculture, and Small Business committees.
Other Republicans, such as Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. have suggested King should resign.
On Tuesday, the House overwhelmingly approved a resolution by a 424-1 vote that broadly rejected white nationalism and white supremacy and cited King’s remarks specifically. Only Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., voted against the resolution, as he felt it did not go far enough.
“Anything short of censure is shallow,” Rush said Tuesday. “Steve King has made a career of making racist statements. That is the only thing he is known for and this pattern of rabid racism must be confronted head on by the House of Representatives.”
King voted for the resolution and said in a speech on the House floor before the vote that the New York Times misinterpreted his comments, though he lamented that there is no recording of his discussion with the newspaper.
“I understand how you interpreted my words when you read them this way,” King said. “There is no tape for this interview that I did. … That ideology never shows up in my head. I don’t know how it could possibly come out of my mouth.”
Sanders, speaking to reporters at the White House, called the actions of GOP leader in response to King’s comments “very strong and rightful.”
[Read more: Iowa newspapers call on Steve King to resign from Congress]
