Senate GOP leader: ‘There are no good neo-Nazis’

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) pushed back Wednesday on President Trump’s latest comments about the violence at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., saying there “are no good neo-Nazis.”

“We can have no tolerance for an ideology of racial hatred. There are no good neo-Nazis, and those who espouse their views are not supporters of American ideals and freedoms,” the Senate GOP leader said.

He added that “we all have a responsibility to stand against hate and violence, wherever it raises its evil head.”

{mosads}McConnell’s comments come after the president blamed both the “alt-left” as well as white supremacists and neo-Nazis for the violence in Charlottesville over the weekend, adding that there were “very fine people” on both sides. 

“I have condemned neo-Nazis. I have condemned many different groups, but not all of those people were neo-Nazis, believe me. … Not all of those people were white supremacists, by any stretch. Those people were also there because they wanted to protest taking down of a statue, Robert E. Lee,” Trump said. 

Several GOP lawmakers slammed Trump over his comments, which came after he had been under criticism for failing to immediately condemn racist protesters, including neo-Nazi groups and the KKK, by name, a step he took at a Monday press conference.

A 32-year-old woman, Heather Heyer, was killed on Saturday in Charlottesville after being hit by a car allegedly driven by a man with far-right views who plowed into a crowd of counterprotesters. Her death came amid rallies aimed to “Unite the Right.” 

White nationalist groups are now planning a rally in Lexington, Ky., over the removal of two Confederate statues, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. 

McConnell added on Wednesday that the groups “are not welcome” in Kentucky or in America. 

“The white supremacist, KKK, and neo-Nazi groups who brought hatred and violence to Charlottesville are now planning a rally in Lexington. Their messages of hate and bigotry are not welcome in Kentucky and should not be welcome anywhere in America,” he said.