House

Scalise dismisses comparison between Waters, Trump comments before Capitol riots

by Dominick Mastrangelo - 04/20/21 12:24 PM ET

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) said there is no comparison to be drawn between statements made by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) in Minnesota during a rally for racial justice over the weekend and comments from former President Trump before the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

“A lot of people have talked about the comments that other people have made and spoken out against it,” Scalise said during a press conference on Tuesday. “Right now I haven’t heard any Democrats speaking out against what Maxine has said. And it’s time for Democrats to speak out when they see it on both sides … and that hypocrisy is starting to shine through.”

On Saturday, Waters told a group of protesters and journalists in Brooklyn Center, Minn., where a 20-year-old Black man was shot and killed by a police officer last week, “we’ve got to get more confrontational,” when advocating for police reforms.

Republicans expressed outrage over the comments, saying they amounted to an incitement of violence. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said this week he plans to introduce a motion to censure Waters following the remarks.

Scalise, the House Minority Whip, was asked by a reporter Tuesday if Waters’s comments are “on par with comments former president Trump made” prior to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

“President Trump used the words peaceful when he talked about the statements that he made,” Scalise responded. “I haven’t heard Maxine saying anything about peacefully protesting.”

Rep. Steve Scalise: “President Trump used the words peaceful when he talked about the statements that he made. I haven’t heard Maxine saying anything about peacefully protesting.” pic.twitter.com/AeH37zuAKI

— The Hill (@thehill) April 20, 2021

Waters responded to her GOP critics in an interview on Monday, saying “I am nonviolent” and accusing Republicans of trying to “send a message” to white supremacists by blasting her.

“This is who they are and this is how they act,” Waters said. “And I’m not going to be bullied by them.”

During a “Stop the Steal” rally before the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, Trump repeated false claims of a “stolen” and “rigged” election and urged his supporters to march to the Capitol and display “strength” as lawmakers met inside to certify President Biden’s electoral college victory.

“I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard,” Trump said during his speech before later saying: “You’ll never take back our country with weakness.”

“You have to show strength and you have to be strong,” Trump said on Jan. 6. “We have come to demand that Congress do the right thing and only count the electors who have been lawfully slated, lawfully slated.”