August 28, 2017

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe joined Jake Tapper on CNN's State of The Union to discuss the events in Charlottesville, Trump's "both sides" comments and the arrests since.

McAuliffe was pretty blunt:

It wasn't both sides. There is no moral equivalent. You had one side, neo-Nazis who our great country fought against Adolf Hitler and white supremacists and Klansmen, spewing hatred. And the other side were counter protesters, who were protesting their hate. I just disagree with the president. This was one side: hatred, bigotry and bias and you just have to call it out.

Regarding antifa members, whom Trump accused of counterattacks:

Let me clear. Everyone is entitled to protest under the First Amendment...but, it's peaceful protest.

He went on to talk about how Virginia is handling the violence and how two warrants have been issued for two men: one from Maryland, one from Ohio. These men were on video attacking Deandre Harris.

The Root reports that Daniel Borden of Mason, Ohio was arrested on Friday evening and charged with malicious wounding. Alex Michael Ramos has had a warrant issued for his arrest for the attack as well and the Charlottesville police are asking for the public's help in locating him. And finally, Richard Wilson Preston, the man caught on tape discharging a weapon into a crowd of counter protesters, has been arrested in Baltimore and is currently being held in the Baltimore County Detention Center after being charged with discharging a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school. White supremacists are very welcome in Baltimore city jail, let me tell you.

Although Trump is pushing the "both sides" angle, it is a good step to see that the governor of Virginia is not taking the same stance. Hatred and violence must be denounced immediately and those that commit violence need to be held accountable, regardless of their politics.

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