Politics

Steve Scalise Calls Out The Media For Not ‘Standing Up’ Against Violent Rhetoric

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Nick Givas Media And Politics Reporter
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Republican House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana chastised the media on “Fox & Friends” Friday for failing to stand up to violent political rhetoric on both sides of the aisle.

Scalise blamed the press for not highlighting the issue of violence and said displays of brutality are not what “America’s about.”

“I’m concerned that you are seeing an increase of this,” he declared. (RELATED: GOP Rep. Steve Scalise Shares How He Made It Back To Congress After Being Shot By Gunman)

“I’d like to see the mainstream media asking both Republican and Democrat leaders to stand up against this kind of rhetoric, this kind of violence,” he added. “But ultimately we’ve got to keep shining a light on this, to make it clear that this isn’t what politics is about in America. It’s not what the founding of our country was about. It was about freedom of speech, freedom of expression. Not violence against anybody.”

Scalise was shot by Bernie Sanders supporter James Hodgkinson back in June of 2017 and said it was irresponsible of Democrats to stoke hatred to push their political agenda.

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He also praised right-wing politicians earlier in the interview for standing up and condemning politically motivated violence, but accused Democrats of allowing the chaos to continue for their own gain.

“I would like to see leaders on both sides calling it out. You’re seeing leaders on the right calling it out. You’re not seeing any leaders on the left calling it out,” he declared. “In fact, you’re seeing some of the leaders on the left inciting more violence. Calling on more violence instead of saying, ‘There’s no place for it.'”

“President Trump has worked really hard to get this economy back on track. People like the direction of the country,” Scalise said.

“If they don’t like the direction that we’re headed, then go out and try to lay out a better course and a better agenda. That’s not what they’re trying to do on the left. They’re just trying to threaten and intimidate people and that’s not what America’s about.”

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