Civil rights leaders slam House's third-ranking Republican for inaction on Voting Rights Act
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Two national civil rights leaders are reviving criticism of a top-ranking House Republican's speech to a white supremacist group 13 years ago, trying to jumpstart action on a proposal to strengthen the Voting Rights Act.
Marc Morial of the National Urban League and Wade Henderson of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights sent a letter criticizing Majority Whip Steve Scalise for inaction on efforts to revise the law.
The men referenced Scalise's admission he spoke in 2002 to a white supremacist group near New Orleans. Morial and Henderson say Scalise hasn't done enough "to heal the wounds you caused by delivering the speech."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Scalise apologized last year for the speech, saying he was unaware of the group's racial philosophy at the time. His office didn't immediately respond Wednesday.