The Louisiana delegation is offering bipartisan support to Rep. Steve Scalise , who is embroiled in scandal surrounding his 2002 address to a white supremacist forum . Rep. Cedric Richmond , the lone Democrat in Louisiana 's House delegation , offered his full-throated support to the congressman in an interview with the New Orleans Times-Picayune Monday night . `` I do n't think Steve Scalise has a racist bone in his body , '' Richmond , who is African American , told the paper . `` Steve and I have worked on issues that benefit poor people , black people , white people , Jewish people . I know his character . '' He added : `` I am not going to let them use Steve as a scapegoat to score political points when I know him and know his family , '' Richmond said . Louisiana Gov . Bobby Jindal , a Republican , also backed the congressman in a statement . `` I know Congressman Scalise to be a good man who is fair-minded and kindhearted . I 'm confident he absolutely rejects racism in all its forms , '' Louisiana Gov . Bobby Jindal said in a statement . A local Louisiana blog reported this weekend on blog posts and documents revealing that Scalise spoke at a 2002 event for the National/International EURO Workshop on Civil Rights , a white nationalist organization founded by David Duke , a former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan . The controversy surrounding his appearance at the event has raised questions over whether Scalise will continue to serve as Majory Whip , the third-ranking position in House leadership . House Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy , however , have remained silent on the situation since the news broke . RELATED : Whip lashed by critics . Scalise has disavowed the group 's beliefs and said he was n't aware of them when he spoke at the forum . In an interview with the Times-Picayune , Scalise chalked up the misunderstanding to a staff flub . `` I did n't know who all of these groups were and I detest any kind of hate group . For anyone to suggest that I was involved with a group like that is insulting and ludicrous , '' he said . He added : `` I had one person that was working for me . When someone called and asked me to speak , I would go . I was , in no way , affiliated with that group or the other groups I was talking to . '' CNN has learned that the staffer at the time was Cameron Henry , who currently represents Scalise 's former state House seat . Henry rushed CNN off the phone Monday night and declined to discuss the situation , but did not deny his work for the congressman . Henry 's brother , Charles Henry , is Scalise 's current chief of staff . Neither responded to requests for comment on Tuesday . But Democrats were already taking aim at Scalise on Tuesday morning , and trying to goad House leadership into weighing in . `` Steve Scalise chose to cheerlead for a group of KKK members and neo-Nazis at a white supremacist rally and now his fellow House Republican Leaders ca n't even speak up and say he was wrong . While David Duke defends Scalise , Speaker Boehner and Leader McCarthy are refusing to condemn Scalise 's choice of allies , '' said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee National Press Secretary Josh Schwerin . Schwerin said the incident made it `` clear their leadership has a history of embracing anti-Semitic , racist hate groups . '' `` Republicans are off to a banner start for their new Congress -- on the path to break their own record for least popular Congress in history , '' he added .
The Louisiana Senate is giving bipartisan support to Rep. John Scalise . State Rep. Cedric Richmond defended the measure . The spokesman for Scalise at the time , Cameron Smith , is brothers with Scalise 's chief of staff .