Congressman Steve Scalise will host the first major event for his supporters since liberal blogger Lamar White revealed that, in 2002, the then Louisiana state legislator — who is today the No. 3 Republican in the House — addressed the supremacist European-American Unity and Rights Organization,
Politico reported.
The "Meet Team Scalise" reception is set for Jan. 13 at the National Republican Club of Capitol Hill and is being coordinated by Jenny Drucker, a Republican fundraiser.
The evening is billed as an opportunity to become acquainted with Scalise's chief of staff Lynnel Ruckert; Drucker; Alex Lawhon, another GOP fundraiser; and Tyler Daniel, Scalise's political director.
"It's an introduction to the team," Daniel told Politico. "An introduction to Jenny and Alex and just to welcome back Congress and welcome the new year. It's been on the books long before any story broke."
The
White House sought to make Scalise politically toxic by associating him with white activist David Duke. The House Republican leadership has stood by Scalise who says he
regrets addressing the white supremacist group.
Some tea party-aligned figures, including Sarah Palin and Erick Erickson, have said Scalise ought to resign because it was obvious at the time that the group was racist.
It could be hard for Scalise to raise money at this stage from the business community and GOP donors based in blue states. Larger PACS are also likely to be hesitant to work with him until the dust settles, according to Politico.
Daniel said that Scalise, who raised $2.6 million for Republicans through his political action committee during the 2014 election cycle, would continue to raise money.
Scalise's own Eye of the Tiger PAC pulled in some $825,000 during that cycle, according to the
Center for Responsive Politics.
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