In a departure from House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.), Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) is planning to campaign with GOP House candidate Rich Iott despite the controversy over his Nazi-reenactment hobby. The two leaders have taken different sides after photos of Iott dressed in Nazi garb surfaced on the Internet earlier in October.
Cantor has denounced Iott, who was removed from the GOP's Young Guns program — and website — shortly after the flap. But Boehner still backs his campaign and will attend an event supporting Iott in Ohio on Saturday.
Cantor, during a recent appearance on Fox News, responded to Democrats' criticism of Iott by condemning him and his reenactment activities.
Referring to fellow Fox guest Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Cantor said, "She knows that I would absolutely repudiate [Nazi reenactments] and do not support an individual that would do something like that ... You know good and well that I don't support anything like that."
Meanwhile, Boehner, a fellow Ohioan, continued to solicit funds for the campaign through his personal comittee and his Freedom Project PAC.
He has donated a total of $7,000 to Iott, according to reports.
On Wednesday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) released a statement condemning the minority leader's decision to appear at the rally this weekend.
"Not only has John Boehner recruited and financed a disgraced Nazi enthusiast running for Congress, but now, even more outrageous, Boehner is attending a campaign rally with him," said Ryan Rudominer, spokesman for the DCCC. "John Boehner’s stubborn embrace of this Nazi enthusiast insults the memory of the 6 million Jews who died during the Holocaust and our nations’ veterans who sacrificed to defend our freedom."
Freedom PAC spokesman Don Seymour responded that Boehner's appearance is meant to "support the local Republican Party's get-out-the-vote efforts."
"Boehner has been on the road headlining rallies for Republican candidates in Ohio and across the country ... and he’ll continue his busy campaign schedule into the final weekend before Tuesday’s referendum on Democrats’ jobs-killing policies," Seymour said.
Iott is challenging Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) in the state's 9th district. Saturday's rally will take place in Toledo.
