Steve King says he can relate to suffering of Jesus

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) on Tuesday said that the censure he faced earlier this year for controversial statements regarding white nationalism gave him a better understanding of the suffering of Jesus Christ.

During a town hall in Cherokee, Iowa, King appeared to compare his experience of being formally rebuked in the House to the trial and persecution of Jesus. 

{mosads}“And when I had to step down to the floor of the House of Representatives and look up at those 400-and-some accusers — you know, we’ve just passed through Easter and Christ’s Passion — and I have a better insight into what he went through for us, partly because of that experience,” King said.

The Hill has reached out to King’s office for additional comment.

The nine-term Catholic congressman told the crowd that he has reached a “certain peace” following the incident “because of a lot of prayers for me.”

King sparked bipartisan backlash for questioning during an interview with The New York Times how terms such as “white supremacist” and “white nationalist” became “offensive.”

House Republicans responded by removing King from his positions on the House Judiciary, Agriculture and Small Business committees.

The House also overwhelmingly passed a resolution condemning white nationalism and white supremacy by a 424-1 vote. The embattled lawmaker voted in favor of the resolution. 

King later clarified his remarks during a speech on the House floor.

“I want to make one thing abundantly clear: I reject those labels and the evil ideology that they define. Further, I condemn anyone that supports this evil and bigoted ideology which saw in its ultimate expression the systematic murder of 6 million innocent Jewish lives,” King said.

The Republican’s supporters defended him at the town hall meeting this week, according to The Washington Post.

“Christianity is really being persecuted, and it’s starting right here in the United States,” Pinky Person told the newspaper. “I would just like to make a statement that with all the problems that we have, if we would just allow God to work, and keep on praying and keep on believing and keep on working together, we could overcome so many of these problems.”