Idaho faith leaders: McGeachin should resign after speech to ‘white nationalist movement’
Thirty-one Idaho faith leaders sent a letter to Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin on Thursday calling for her resignation, as the response continued to McGeachin’s recorded speech at a white nationalist conference last week.
McGeachin’s recorded remarks were played at the America First Political Action Conference in Florida, organized by Nick Fuentes, a well-known white nationalist who noted recent comparisons between Vladimir Putin and Adolf Hitler when he spoke. “They say that’s not a good thing,” he said with a laugh. The crowd at the event also cheered Putin.
McGeachin’s speech was played to attendees. “We are literally in a fight for our lives,” she said.
Days after the event, both Gov. Brad Little and the Idaho Republican Party, led by chairman Tom Luna, released statements condemning racism, white supremacy, bigotry and neo-Nazism. Luna’s statement referenced “Lieutenant Governor McGeachin’s participation in this event.”
The group of faith leaders said Friday that they “expect compassion, civility and common sense” from elected officials.
“As leaders from many faiths across Idaho, we are deeply concerned about your recent speech at AFPAC, the political convention of an openly white nationalist movement,” the letter stated.
“The views of those who founded AFPAC three years ago and who spoke alongside you don’t reflect or speak for Christianity or Christians, nor do they reflect the religious or political views of the vast majority of Idahoans. In fact, they are actively antisemitic and racist, twisting religion to support their violent, terrifying vision of America, an America that excludes and expels not just religious minorities, but people of color, immigrants, refugees and many millions more.”
McGeachin released a statement via Twitter on Saturday, a day after the conference, saying she “support(s) America First policies” and “took the opportunity to share my views about these vital America First policies.”
McGeachin also said she has “never supported identity politics or other discriminatory views.” And in an interview with KTVB on Monday, McGeachin said she does not know who Fuentes is, and looked him up online only after the conference had occurred.
“Congratulations on your third annual event, and keep up the good work fighting for our country,” McGeachin said in her video appearance to the conference. “I thank you all for your efforts, I thank you for joining our efforts, and together we will fight to make Idaho great again.”
The letter from the faith leaders, who are part of various churches, denominations and institutions in Boise, Idaho Falls, Gooding and elsewhere, went on to say that McGeachin has ties with far-right militia groups and ultimately concluded that the Republican is “not fit to hold elected office.”
Said Ahmed-Zaid, of the Islamic Center of Boise, was one of the 31 leaders who signed the letter. He is an engineering professor at Boise State University and part of the rotating group of freelance religion columnists for the Idaho Statesman.
“I’m concerned about the future of Idaho,” Ahmed-Zaid told the Statesman.
“I have many friends who are also from minority groups or underrepresented groups, and they are thinking about leaving if things get worse. A person in authority should be saying words to comfort the vulnerable in our society and the minority groups.”
This story was originally published March 4, 2022 at 3:21 PM.
