Congressman’s comments condemned
A Republican congressman who represents the Charlotte area said yesterday that people are protesting in the city because they “hate white people”.
Representative Robert Pittenger, whose district includes parts of Charlotte and its suburbs, was asked by an interviewer for Britain’s BBC Newsnight what grievance the protesters have.
In the video posted online yesterday, Pittenger responded: “The grievance in their mind is — the animus, the anger — they hate warnings to drop his gun. Neighbours, though, have said he was holding only a book.
The police chief said a gun was white people because white people are successful and they’re not.”
He also complained that the Government has spent too much on welfare programmes that ultimately hold people back.
He later released a statement apologising for what he said, and his comments were condemned by Democrats.
“What is taking place in my hometown right now breaks my heart. My anguish led me to respond to a reporter’s question in a way that I regret,” he said. found next to the dead man, and there was no book.
Justin Bamberg, a lawyer for Scott’s family, watched the video with
The North Carolina Democratic Party released a statement saying Pittenger’s remarks were inexcusable and accused him of “fanning the flames of hate”.
Pittenger, who was first elected to his seat in 2012, won a razor- thin Republican primary this year after a recount, and he faces a Democratic challenger in the November election. His largely affluent district was redrawn under court- ordered redistricting and now includes poorer areas along the South Carolina border. the slain man’s relatives. He said that in the video, Scott gets out of his vehicle calmly.
“While police did give him several commands, he did not aggressively approach them or raise his hands at members of law enforcement at any time. It is impossible to discern from the videos what, if anything, Mr Scott is holding in his hands,” Bamberg said in a statement.
Scott was shot as he walked slowly backward with his hands by his side, Bamberg said.
The lawyer said at a news conference earlier in the day that Scott’s wife saw him get shot, “and that’s something she will never, ever forget.”
That is the first time anyone connected with the case has said the wife witnessed the shooting.
Bamberg gave no details on what the wife saw.
The police chief acknowledged that he has promised transparency in the investigation, but said, “I’m telling you right now, if you think I say we should display a victim’s worst day for consumption, that is not the transparency I’m speaking of.”