Three days after the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia and condemnations from all but one of Idaho’s congressional delegation, Representative Raul Labrador finally issued a statement.
Tuesday evening, following urging from Governor Butch Otter earlier in the day, Congressman Raul Labrador finally made his own statement about the events in Charlottesville.
In a release from his office, Labrador says he waited to respond because he didn’t want to insert himself in a national tragedy neither about him nor politics.
However, in the statement, he says, “I detest white supremacy as much as I detest black nationalism and other forms of identity politics.” He then says he abhors and condemns the violence, bigotry and racism that were on display.
Boise State Political Science Professor Justin Vaughn says Labrador’s statement seems to reflect the President’s latest take on Charlottesville.
“The point he was probably most intent on making was similar to the one that President Trump made," says Vaughn, "that what happened in Charlottesville – the people that were engaged in those kinds of behaviors were inappropriate and bad, but he also wanted to acknowledge that, from his perspective, there are other people with other affiliations that are also loathsome.”
Towards the end of the release, Labrador writes he doesn't know any Idahoan that thinks a trite media statement will help solve the nation's ills.
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