Politics

Tim Kaine: ‘I Don’t Know Enough About Antifa’

(Photo: Screenshot/MSNBC)

Kerry Picket Political Reporter
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WASHINGTON — Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine says he does not know much about members of so-called “anti-fascist” groups but says it is unfair to paint them with a broad brush.

When asked by The Daily Caller Thursday if “antifa” should be considered a terrorist organization, Kaine replied: “I don’t like broad brushes and I don’t know enough about them to say that they’re terrorists but people who do violent things. The law should take care of them.”

The Department of Homeland Security has called the activities of Antifa “domestic terrorist violence,” according to Politico. (RELATED: DHS Formally Calls Activities Of Antifa ‘Domestic Terrorist Violence’)

Kaine’s son, Linwood, was arrested back in March at a pro-Trump rally at Minnesota’s state capitol on misdemeanor charges in connection with lighting smoke bombs.(RELATED: Senator Tim Kaine’s Son Facing Criminal Charges)

The younger Kaine was accused of taking part in antifa activities against Trump supporters.

When asked about his son’s arrest at the time of his son’s arrest the Senator said through a spokeswoman to CNN: “We love that our three children have their own views and concerns about current political issues. They fully understand the responsibility to express those concerns peacefully.”

Sen. Kaine, along with Democratic Sen. Mark Warner and Republican Sens. Cory Gardner and Johnny Isakson, signed a bipartisan resolution Wednesday condemning “white nationalists, white supremacists, the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and other hate groups” for their role in the violence in Charlottesville, Va., last month, but does not mention so called anti-fascist groups.(RELATED: Senate Resolution Condemns White Supremacists, Not ‘Anti-Fascists’)

When asked by TheDC why Antifa were not specifically included, Kaine replied, “Because that wasn’t really the issue in Charlottesville at all.”

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi denounced Antifa groups last month after members violently attacked Trump supporters who peacefully rallied in Berkeley.

“Any violence, And I think that was important and I would do the same if it were in Virginia, but any violence at rallies is a bad thing, because Madison had it right,” Kaine said of Pelosi’s remarks.

He added, “People should peacefully assemble to petition their government for redress of grievances, so people should be peaceful.”

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