Rep. Mia Love Defends Steve Scalise: Let Him Stay

Rep. Mia Love (R-UT) thinks that Majority Whip Steve Scalise should be allowed to remain in his leadership position.

Scalise has apologized for a speech he delivered in 2002 to a group of people prior to a white supremacist conference.

“I believe he should remain in leadership,” Love explained on ABC’s This Week on Sunday. Love reminded the audience that the speech occurred 12 years ago and that Scalise had apologized.

“There’s one quality that he has that I think is very important in leadership and that’s humility,” she said. “And he’s actually shown that in this case. And he’s apologized and I think that we need to move on and get the work of the American people done.”

Scalise has come under fire from the left after the news surfaced right before the new session of Congress, but he has also received criticism from the right, including talk radio host Mark Levin and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

Love, the first African American Republican woman elected to Congress, spoke highly of Scalise’s character.

“I can say, as far as I’m concerned, with Representative Scalise, he has been absolutely wonderful to work with,” she said. “He’s been very helpful for me and he has had the support of his colleagues.”