Some elected officials in New England are speaking out about the violence in Charlottesville, Virgina, and weighing in on how President Donald Trump handled the condemnation of the hate groups responsible.
Sen. Ed Markey (D) says what happened in Charlottesville is the result of a culture that has been created by President Donald Trump.
"President Trump ran on a platform of making America great again, but what he is really done he is giving permission to make America hate again," Markey said. "Each and every one of the steps which the president has taken is something that is signaling to these white racists, as articulated by David Duke over the weekend, that he's with them."
Gov. Charlie Baker also weighed in, saying the president should have condemned white supremacists, neo-Nazis, the KKK and other hate groups immediately.
"White supremacists have no place and no business in American political dialogue. Period. End of discussion. Case closed," said Baker.
Rep. Michael Capuano (D) is now looking toward Saturday, when some fear a long-planned "free speech" rally in Boston will draw a similar crowd.
"No matter how violent your speech might be, public safety comes first, and if what they're intending is to come to Boston, either them or people that want to associate with them, to commit violent acts, that won't be tolerated," Capuano said.
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Calling the event in Charlottesville a very sad moment in American history, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) said the president's late, inadequate response was also sad.
"The idea that hundreds of people who are neo-Nazis, who are white supremacists, who are racists of the worst kind, are marching in a city in Virginia is a very sad state of affairs," Sanders said. "To suggest that there is violence on quote-unquote 'all sides' is total nonsense."
