'No moral equivalence': Both parties denounce Trump's Charlottesville comments
The Associated Press | Posted: August 16, 2017 2:00 AM | Last Updated: August 16, 2017
Trump 'just defended neo-Nazis and blamed those who condemn their racism,' says Democrat
Republican and Democratic lawmakers are reacting to U.S. President Donald Trump's latest comments on the violence over the weekend in Charlottesville, Va.
The president said he believes "there's blame on both sides" for what transpired.
'Bigotry is counter to all this country stands for'
Senior and longtime members of Trump's Republican Party disagreed with the president's statement.
Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said on Twitter that "bigotry is counter to all this country stands for," while Arizona Sen. John McCain said, "There's no moral equivalency between racists and Americans standing up to defy hate and bigotry."
Republican members of Congress and the Senate also weighed in, with Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas saying "no one, especially POTUS, should ever tolerate" white supremacy, bigotry and racism.
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida tweeted: "Blaming 'both sides' for #Charlottesville?! No."
'This is not my president'
Lawmakers across the aisle joined Republicans in denouncing Trump's "both sides" comment.
Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii, who is Jewish, said "words cannot express my disgust and disappointment" in Trump's comments, adding: "This is not my president."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said Trump "just defended neo-Nazis and blamed those who condemn their racism and hate."
Democratic leadership warned Trump's comments could embolden white nationalists.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said, "When David Duke and white supremacists cheer your remarks, you're doing it very, very wrong."
House minority leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that "there is only one side," and Americans "deserve a president who understands that."
Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe of Virginia directly rebuffed Trump's comments regarding the violence that recently marred his state.
"Neo-Nazis, Klansmen and white supremacists came to Charlottesville heavily armed, spewing hatred and looking for a fight," he said in a statement.
"This was not 'both sides.'"