Charlottesville Mayor Draws ‘Direct Line’ To Trump On White Supremacists
Image by Getty Images
By Dave Goldiner August 14, 2017
Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer placed the blame squarely on President Trump for the deadly hatred on display in the city, where thousands of marchers targeted Jews and blacks with racist slogans.
The outspoken mayor, who is Jewish, repeatedly pointed to Trump’s divisive campaign and his failure to distance himself from the radical right.
“Look at the campaign he ran,” Signer told CNN’s Jake Tapper. “Look at the intentional courting, on one hand, of all these white supremacists, white nationalists … and look on the other hand at the repeated failure to step up, condemn, denounce, silence, put to bed all of these different efforts, just like we saw yesterday. This isn’t hard.”
“You are seeing a direct line from what happened here this weekend to those choices,” Signer told CBS.
Signer also blasted Trump for failing to specifically condemn white supremacists in his response to the violence, which tepidly blamed “all sides.”
“What I did not hear in the president’s statement yesterday, as well-intentioned as it may have been, is I didn’t hear the words ‘white supremacy,’” he said. “And I think that it’s important to call this for what it is.”
I’m personally matching all gifts to the Forward, up to $36,000. Can I match your gift now?
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
