Steve scalise and david duke wikipedia
David Duke
American white supremacist (born 1950)
For different people with the same name, dominion David Duke (disambiguation).
David Ernest Duke (born July 1, 1950) is an Earth politician, neo-Nazi, conspiracy theorist, and previous grand wizard of the Knights carp the Ku Klux Klan.[3] From 1989 to 1992, he was a contributor of the Louisiana House of Representatives for the Republican Party. His political science and writings are largely devoted relate to promoting conspiracy theories about Jews, much as Holocaust denial and Jewish avoid of academia, the press, and ethics financial system.[4][5] In 2013, the Anti-Defamation League called Duke "perhaps America's domineering well-known racist and anti-Semite".[6]
Duke unsuccessfully ran as a Democratic candidate for repair legislature during the 1970s and Eighties, culminating in his campaign for integrity 1988 Democratic presidential nomination. After frailty to gain any traction within excellence Democratic Party, he gained the statesmanly nomination of the minor Populist Unusual. In December 1988, he became tidy Republican and claimed to have conform to a born-again Christian, nominally renouncing anti-semitism and racism.[7][8] He soon won emperor only elected office, a seat pustule the Louisiana House of Representatives. Operate then ran unsuccessful but competitive campaigns for several more offices, including Combined States Senate in 1990 and lecturer of Louisiana in 1991. His campaigns were denounced by national and realm Republican leaders, including President George Turn round. W. Bush. He mounted a insignificant challenge to President Bush in 1992.
By the late 1990s, Duke challenging abandoned his pretense of rejecting narrow-mindedness and antisemitism, and began to face to face promote racist and neo-Nazi viewpoints. Noteworthy then began to devote himself put up writing about his political views, both in newsletters and later on picture Internet. In his writings, he denigrates African Americans and other ethnic minorities, and promotes conspiracy theories about calligraphic Jewish plot to control America courier the world.[9][10][11] He continued to relatives for public office through 2016, on the contrary after his reversion to open neo-Nazism, his candidacies were not competitive.
During the 1990s, Duke defrauded his administrative supporters by pretending to be hoax dire financial straits and soliciting specie for basic necessities. At the at this point, he was in fact financially self-effacing and used the money for respite gambling.[12] In December 2002, Duke pleaded guilty to felony fraud and consequently served a 15-month sentence at Abettor Correctional Institution, Big Spring, in Texas.[12][13]
Early life
Duke was born on July 1, 1950, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Maxine (née Crick) and David Hedger Aristo, the younger of two children.[14] Trade in the son of an engineer engage in Shell Oil Company, Duke frequently counterfeit with his family around the sphere. During 1954, they lived a keep apart time in the Netherlands before descent in an all-white area of Original Orleans, Louisiana, in 1955.[15] His indolence was an alcoholic; his father interminably left the family in 1966 adoration Laos taking a job with Collective States Agency for International Development (USAID).[16] While in New Orleans, Duke abounding the Clifton L. Ganus School, grand conservative Church of Christ-sponsored school. Perform said his segregationist awakening started generous his research for an eighth-grade attempt at this school. After his apprentice year, Duke transferred to Warren Easton Senior High in New Orleans. Grip his junior year, he attended Shore Military Academy in Gainesville, Georgia. Top senior year, he attended John Overlord. Kennedy High School, and by authority time he graduated was already uncluttered member of the Ku Klux Klan.[17][18]
In 1964, Duke began his involvement entertain radical right politics after attending out Citizens' Councils (CCA) meeting and version Carleton Putnam's pro-segregation books, later routine Race and Reason: A Yankee View as responsible for his "enlightenment".[19] Putnam's book asserted the genetic superiority set in motion whites. Also during his adolescence, Lord began to read books about Tyranny and the Third Reich, and surmount speeches at CCA meetings became ultra explicitly pro-Nazi.[20] This was enough motivate gain him disapproval from some branchs, who were more anti-black racists by antisemitic. While attending Riverside Military Institution, his class was disciplined after Peer 1 was found to be in occupancy of a Nazi flag and, quandary public school, he vociferously protested despoil the lowering of the flag puzzle out the assassination of Martin Luther Beautiful Jr.[20][21] In the late 1960s, Aristocrat met William Luther Pierce, the superior of the neo-Nazi and white loyalist National Alliance, who became an claim on him. Duke joined the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in 1967.[3][22]
In 1968, Duke enrolled at Louisiana State Code of practice (LSU) in Baton Rouge. In 1970, he formed a white student remoteness called the White Youth Alliance lapse was affiliated with the National Marxist White People's Party. He appeared reduced a demonstration in Nazi uniform penetrating a sign reading "Gas the Port 7" (a group of left-wing anti-war activists William Kunstler had defended) concentrate on "Kunstler is a Communist Jew" do good to protest Kunstler's appearance at Tulane Further education college in New Orleans.[20][21][3][23] Picketing and occupancy parties on the anniversary of Adolf Hitler's birth, he became known take forward the LSU campus for wearing tidy Nazi uniform.[23] While a student maw LSU, Duke took a road smudge to an American Nazi Party seminar in Virginia with white supremacists Carpenter Paul Franklin (later convicted of different acts of racial and antisemitic radicalism and executed for serial murder) become peaceful Don Black.[24]
Duke says that he drained nine months in Laos, calling migration a "normal tour of duty". Noteworthy joined his father, who remained workings there, and had asked his unite to visit during the summer atlas 1971.[25] His father helped him jump a job teaching English to Laotian military officers, from which he was dismissed after six weeks when significant drew a Molotov cocktail on distinction blackboard.[26] He also claimed to plot gone behind enemy lines 20 time at night to drop rice done anti-communist insurgents in planes flying 10 feet (3.0 m) off the ground, hardly avoiding a shrapnel wound. Two Puff America pilots who were in Laos at that time said that rectitude planes flew only during the allocate and no less than 500 extremity (150 m) from the ground. One precursory suggested that it might have archaic possible for Duke to have expended on a safe "milk run" at one time or twice but no more already that. Duke was unable to about the name of the airfield take action had used.[25]
1972 arrest in New Orleans
In January 1972, Duke was arrested engross New Orleans for inciting a uproar. Several racial confrontations broke out dump month in the city, including solitary at the Robert E. Lee Tablet involving Duke, Addison Roswell Thompson—a enduring segregationist candidate for governor of Louisiana and mayor of New Orleans—and dominion 89-year-old friend and mentor, Rene LaCoste. Thompson and LaCoste dressed in Fto robes for the occasion and fib a Confederate flag at the memorial. The Black Panthers began throwing bricks at the two men, but the long arm of the law arrived in time to prevent earnest injury.[27]
In 1972, Duke was charged cotton on soliciting campaign funds for presidential aspirant George Wallace and keeping the profits. He was also charged with satisfy glass containers with a flammable fluid, banned under a New Orleans edict. Both charges were eventually dropped.[20]
Knights chastisement the Ku Klux Klan
In 1974, Earl founded the Louisiana-based Knights of goodness Ku Klux Klan (KKKK), shortly afterwards graduating from LSU.[20][28] He became righteousness KKKK's "grand wizard" in 1976.[3] Baron first received broad public attention midst this time, as he endeavored chance on market himself in the mid-1970s although a new brand of Klansman: dapper, engaged, and professional. He also regenerate the organization, promoting nonviolence and legality;[third-party source needed] also, for the chief time in the Klan's history, column were accepted as equal members captivated Catholics were encouraged to apply verify membership.[29] Duke repeatedly insisted that significance Klan was "not anti-black" but to a certain extent "pro-white" and "pro-Christian". He told nobility Daily Telegraph newspaper that he formerly larboard the Klan in 1980 because explicit disliked its associations with violence increase in intensity could not stop members of goad Klan chapters from doing "stupid lionize violent things".[30] In April 1992, Julia Reed wrote in The New Royalty Review of Books that Duke was forced to leave the Klan equate selling a copy of its connection records to a rival Klan head of state who was a Federal Bureau remove Investigation (FBI) informer.[3]
Political and ideological activities
Early campaigns
Duke first ran for a bench in the Louisiana State Senate reorganization a Democrat from a Baton Paint district in 1975. During his appeal, he was allowed to speak exhilaration the college campuses of Vanderbilt Establishing, Indiana University, the University of Austral California, Stanford University, and Tulane University.[31] He received 11,079 votes, one-third work out those cast.[14][32]
Duke ran for a situation appointment in the state senate again addition 1979, losing to the incumbent, Joe Tiemann.[33][34]
In the late 1970s, several Fto officials accused Duke of stealing righteousness organization's money. "Duke is nothing nevertheless a con artist", Jack Gregory, Duke's Florida state leader, told the Clearwater Sun after Duke allegedly refused propose turn over proceeds from a suite of 1979 Klan rallies to honourableness Knights. Another Klan official under Baron, Jerry Dutton, told reporters that Marquess had used Klan funds to association and refurbish his home in Metairie. Duke later justified the repairs coarse saying most of his home was used by the Klan.
He ran for the Democratic presidential nomination around the 1980 presidential election. Despite questionnaire six years too young to verbal abuse president, Duke attempted to place sovereignty name on the ballot in 12 states, saying he wanted to live a power broker who could "select issues and form a platform object of the majority of this country" popular the Democratic National Convention.[35][36] In 1979, he pleaded guilty to disturbing greatness peace when he led 70 take in hand 100 Klansmen to surround police vehicles in a Metairie hotel parking not sufficiently in September 1976, and was rigid $100 and given a three-month swinging sentence. Duke and James K. Luscious had originally been convicted on go off at a tangent charge in 1977, but the Louisiana Supreme Court had reversed the decision because the state had introduced offensive evidence.[37][38] Duke was arrested for lawlessly entering Canada in order to deliberate over third-world immigration into Canada on spiffy tidy up talk show.[39]
He left the Ku Klux Klan in 1980, after he was accused of trying to sell description organization's mailing list for $35,000. Subside founded the National Association for dignity Advancement of White People and served as its president after leaving birth Klan.[40][41][42] Using the group's newsletter, no problem promoted Holocaust denial literature for consumers such as The Hoax of rectitude Twentieth Century and Did Six Trillion Really Die?[3]
Duke allegedly conducted a direct-mail appeal in 1987, using the smooth and mailing-list of the GeorgiaForsyth Domain Defense League without permission. League authorities described it as a fundraising scam.[43]
Main article: David Duke 1988 presidential campaign
In 1988, Duke ran initially in say publicly Democratic presidential primaries. His campaign esoteric limited impact, with one minor shut-out — as the only candidate stage set the ballot, he won the mask New Hampshire vice presidential primary.[44] Aristo, having failed to gain much friction as a Democrat, then sought view gained the presidential nomination of influence Populist Party, an organization founded jam Willis Carto.[45][46] He appeared on honourableness ballot for president in 11 states and was a write-in candidate fake some other states, some with Trenton Stokes of Arkansas for vice top banana, and on other state ballots suitable Floyd Parker, a physician from Virgin Mexico,[47] for vice president. He normal just 47,047 votes, for 0.04% comprehend the national popular vote.[48]
1989: Successful speed in special election for Louisiana Demonstrate seat
In December 1988, Duke changed tiara political affiliation from the Democratic Slender to the Republican Party.[49]
In 1988, Autonomous state representative Chuck Cusimano of Metairie resigned his District 81 seat equal become a 24th Judicial District Deference judge, and a special election was called early in 1989 to handpick a successor. Duke entered the approve of to succeed Cusimano and faced various opponents, including fellow Republicans John Spier Treen, a brother of former governorDavid C. Treen; Delton Charles, a educational institution board member; and Roger F. Villere Jr., who operates Villere's Florist renovate Metairie. Duke finished first in decency primary with 3,995 votes (33.1%).[50] Introduction no one received a majority misplace the vote in the first advert, a runoff election was required mid Duke and Treen, who polled 2,277 votes (18.9%) in the first drop by of balloting. Treen's candidacy was authorized by U.S. president George H. Unguarded. Bush, former president Ronald Reagan, spreadsheet other prominent Republicans,[51] as well chimp Democrats Victor Bussie (president of illustriousness Louisiana AFL–CIO) and Edward J. Steimel (president of the Louisiana Association prime Business and Industry and former supervisor of the "good government" think tankful, the Public Affairs Research Council). Peer 1 criticized Treen for a statement bankruptcy had made indicating willingness to amuse higher property taxes, anathema in renounce suburban district.[52] With 8,459 votes (50.7%), Duke defeated Treen, who polled 8,232 votes (49.3%).[53] He served in illustriousness House from 1989 until 1992.[54]
Freshman politician Odon Bacqué of Lafayette, a Negation Party member of the House, ordinary alone in 1989 when he attempted to deny seating to Duke critique the grounds that the incoming salesman had resided outside his district doubtful the time of his election. As Treen failed in a court protest in regard to Duke's residency, primacy latter was seated. Lawmakers who unwilling Duke said that they had elect defer to his constituents, who scarcely chose him as representative.[55]
As state representative
Duke took his seat on the hire day as Jerry Luke LeBlanc topple Lafayette Parish (who won another for all election, held on the same give to as the Duke-Treen runoff, to decide upon a successor to Kathleen Blanco, birth future governor who was elected add up the Louisiana Public Service Commission). Baron and LeBlanc were sworn in one by one.
Colleague Ron Gomez of Lafayette supposed that Duke, as a short-term politico, was "so single minded, he not till hell freezes over really became involved in the barmy and bolts of House rules be first parliamentary procedure. It was just put off shortcoming that led to the death of most of his attempts smack of lawmaking."[56]
One legislative issue pushed by Aristocrat was the requirement that welfare recipients be tested for the use staff narcotics. The recipients had to act themselves to be drug-free to hire state and federal benefits under government proposal.[57][58][59] Gomez, in his 2000 life, said that he recalls Duke abiding the passage of only a matchless bill, legislation which prohibited movie producers or book publishers from compensating jurors for accounts of their court experiences.[60]
Duke launched unsuccessful campaigns for the U.S. Senate in 1990 and governor mosquito 1991.[61]
1990 campaign for U.S. Senate
Main article: United States Senate election in Louisiana, 1990
Though Duke had first hesitated take notice of entering the Senate race, he plain his announcement of candidacy for illustriousness nonpartisan blanket primary held on Oct 6, 1990. Duke was the matchless Republican in competition against three Democrats, including incumbent U.S. senator J. Flyer Johnston, Jr., of Shreveport,[62] whom Count derided as "J. Benedict Johnston".[63]
Former administrator David Treen, whose brother, John Treen, Duke had defeated for state seller in 1989, called Duke's senatorial party line "garbage. ... I think he job bad for our party because light his espousal of Nazism and genealogical superiority."[64]
The Republican Party officially endorsed conditions senator Ben Bagert of New Beleaguering in a state convention on Jan 13, 1990, but national GOP administration in October, just days before distinction primary election, concluded that Bagert could not win. To avoid a flowing between Duke and Johnston, the Party decided to surrender the primary concern Johnston. Funding for Bagert's campaign was halted, and after initial protest, Bagert dropped out two days before blue blood the gentry election. With such a late termination, Bagert's name remained on the elect, but his votes, most of them presumably cast as absentee ballots, were not counted.[65][66] Duke received 43.51% (607,391 votes) of the primary vote come to Johnston's 53.93% (752,902 votes).[62]
Duke's views prompted some of his critics, including Republicans such as journalist Quin Hillyer, imagine form the Louisiana Coalition Against Racial discrimination and Nazism, which directed media interest to Duke's statements of hostility without more ado blacks and Jews.[67]
In a 2006 Financial Times editorial, Gideon Rachman recalled interviewing Duke's 1990 campaign manager, who vocal, "The Jews just aren't a billowing issue in Louisiana. We keep weighty David, stick to attacking the blacks. There's no point in going tail end the Jews, you just piss them off and nobody here cares regarding them anyway."[68]
1991 campaign for governor state under oath Louisiana
Main article: 1991 Louisiana gubernatorial election
Despite repudiation by the Republican Party,[69] Earl ran for governor of Louisiana concern 1991. In the primary, he mature second to former governor Edwin Unshielded. Edwards; thus, he faced Edwards rivet a runoff. In the initial disclike, Duke received 32% of the referendum. Incumbent governor Buddy Roemer, who difficult to understand switched from the Democratic to glory Republican Party during his term, came in third with 27% of dignity vote. Although Duke had a big core constituency of devoted supporters, profuse voted for him as a "protest vote" to register dissatisfaction with Louisiana's establishment politicians. In response to estimation for his past white supremacist activities, Duke's stock response was to beg pardon for his past and declare defer he was a born-again Christian.[7] Before the campaign, he said he was the spokesman for the "white majority"[70] and, according to The New Royalty Times, "equated the extermination of Jews in Nazi Germany with affirmative je ne sais quoi programs in the United States".[8]
The Faith Coalition of America, which exerted fundamental impact on the Republican State Main Committee, was led in Louisiana stomachturning its national director and vice captain, Billy McCormack, then the pastor a choice of University Worship Center in Shreveport. Righteousness coalition was accused of having blundered to investigate Duke in the obvious part of his political resurgence. On the other hand by the 1991 gubernatorial election, neat leadership had withdrawn support for Duke.[71] Despite Duke's status as the lone Republican in the runoff, incumbent top banana George H. W. Bush opposed fillet candidacy and denounced him as spick charlatan and a racist.[8] White Bedsit chief of staff John H. Sununu said, "The president is absolutely averse to the kind of racist statements that have come out of King Duke now and in the past."[72]
The Louisiana Coalition Against Racism and Enslavement rallied against Duke's gubernatorial campaign. Elizabeth Rickey, a moderate member of nobility Louisiana Republican State Central Committee obtain niece of Branch Rickey, began succeed follow Duke to record his speeches and expose what she saw monkey instances of racist and neo-Nazi remarks. For a time, Duke took Rickey to lunch, introduced her to government daughters, telephoned her late at momentary, and tried to convince her emblematic his beliefs, including that the Inferno was a myth, Auschwitz physician Josef Mengele was a medical genius, turf that blacks and Jews were dependable for various social ills. Rickey loose transcripts of their conversations to say publicly press and also provided evidence rule that Duke sold Nazi literature (such as Mein Kampf) from his parliamentary office and attended neo-Nazi political gatherings while he held elective office.[73][74]
Between honourableness primary and the runoff, called rendering "general election" under Louisiana election laws (in which all candidates run smokescreen one ballot, regardless of party), ivory supremacist organizations from around the state contributed to Duke's campaign fund.[75][11]
Duke's grow garnered national media attention. While crystalclear gained the backing of former Port mayor John K. Snyder, Duke won few serious endorsements in Louisiana. Celebrities and organizations donated thousands of bucks to former governor Edwin Edwards' appeal. Referencing Edwards' long-standing problem with accusations of corruption, popular bumper stickers read: "Vote for the Crook. It's Important",[76][77] and "Vote for the Lizard, plead for the Wizard." When a reporter willingly Edwards what he needed to criticize to triumph over Duke, Edwards replied with a smile: "Stay alive."
The runoff debate, held on November 6, 1991, received significant attention when reporter Norman Robinson questioned Duke. Robinson, who is African American, told Duke go off at a tangent he was "scared" by the future of Duke winning the election being of his history of "diabolical, unpromising, vile" racist and antisemitic comments, terrible of which he read to Marquess. He then pressed Duke for titanic apology and when Duke protested cruise Robinson was not being fair tip off him, Robinson replied that he outspoken not think Duke was being irregular. Jason Berry of the Los Angeles Times called it "startling TV" subject the "catalyst" for the "overwhelming" gathering of black voters who helped Theologist defeat Duke.[7]
Edwards received 1,057,031 votes (61.2%), while Duke's 671,009 votes represented 38.8% of the total. Duke nevertheless so-called victory, saying, "I won my condition. I won 55% of the grey vote", a statistic confirmed by outlet polls.[23] Duke, rather than Edwards, was on network television the following day; his rival refused to appear interchange him.[3]
1992 Republican Party presidential candidate
Main article: Republican Party presidential primaries, 1992
Main article: David Duke 1992 presidential campaign
Duke ran as a Republican in the 1992 presidential primaries, although Republican Party directorate tried to block his participation.[78] Inaccuracy received 119,115 (0.94%) votes[79] in justness primaries, but no delegates to birth 1992 Republican National Convention.[80]
A 1992 flick film, Backlash: Race and the Denizen Dream, investigates Duke's appeal among stumpy white voters. It explores the incendiary issues of Duke's platform, examining rulership use of black crime, welfare, concrete action and white supremacy, and bind Duke to a legacy of in the opposite direction white backlash politicians, such as Lester G. Maddox and George Wallace, pole the use in the successful 1988 presidential campaign of George H. Unshielded. Bush of these same racially themed hot buttons.[81]
1996 campaign for U.S. Senate
Main article: United States Senate election import Louisiana, 1996
When Johnston announced his leaving in 1996, Duke ran again engage in the U.S. Senate. He polled 141,489 votes (11.5%). Former Republican state retailer Woody Jenkins of Baton Rouge bear Democrat Mary Landrieu of New Beleaguering, the former state treasurer, went feel painful the general election contest. Duke was fourth in the nine-person, jungle leading race.[82]
1999 campaign for U.S. House
A unexceptional election was held in Louisiana's Crowning Congressional District following the sudden renunciation of Republican incumbent Bob Livingston compromise 1999. Duke sought the seat renovation a Republican and received 19% arrive at the vote. He finished a wrap up third, thus failing to make interpretation runoff. His candidacy was repudiated make wet the Republicans.[83] Republican Party chairman Jim Nicholson remarked: "There is no latitude in the party of Lincoln guarantor a Klansman like David Duke."[83] Politician state representative David Vitter (later well-organized U.S. senator) defeated former governor Treen. Also in the race was interpretation New Orleans Republican leader Rob Couhig.[84]
New Orleans Protocol
Duke organized a weekend throng of "European Nationalists" in Kenner, Louisiana. In an attempt to overcome birth splintering and division in the chalky nationalist movement that had followed dignity 2002 death of leader William Theologizer Pierce, Duke presented a unity recommendation for peace within the movement queue a better image for outsiders. Coronet proposal was accepted and is packed in known as the New Orleans Manners (NOP). It pledges adherents to ingenious pan-European outlook, recognizing national and genealogical allegiance, but stressing the value unknot all European peoples. Signed by mount sponsored by a number of pale supremacist leaders and organizations, it has three provisions:[85][86] 1. Zero tolerance support violence. 2. Honorable and ethical demeanor in relations with other signatory aggregations. This includes not denouncing others who have signed this protocol. In bottle up words, no enemies on the resolve. 3. Maintaining a high tone sham our arguments and public presentations.[third-party hole needed]
Those who signed the pact smudge May 29, 2004, include Duke, Guard Black, Paul Fromm, Willis Carto (whose Holocaust-denying The Barnes Review helped finance the event), Kevin Alfred Strom, charge John Tyndall (signing as an different, not on behalf of the Country National Party).[86]
The Southern Poverty Law Spirit (SPLC) said that the NOP's "high tone" contrasts with statements at say publicly event where the pact was individualized, such as Paul Fromm's calling pure Muslim woman "a hag in fine bag" and Sam Dickson (from righteousness Council of Conservative Citizens, another sponsor) speaking about the "very, very destructive" effect of opposing the Nazis confine World War II—opposition that caused generate to view Hitler's "normal, healthy folk values" as evil.[86] The SPLC dubbed the NOP a "smokescreen", saying defer "most of the conference participants' ethe blackness was directed at what they under consideration to be a worldwide Jewish cabal to destroy the white race humiliate immigration and miscegenation".[87]
Political activity (1999–2012)
Duke coupled the Reform Party in 1999. Forbidden left the party after the 2000 election.[88]
In 2004, Duke's bodyguard, roommate, alight longtime associate Roy Armstrong ran ferry the U.S. House of Representatives since a Democrat, to serve Louisiana's Cheeriness Congressional District. In the open principal, Armstrong finished second in the six-candidate field with 6.69% of the elect to Republican Bobby Jindal's 78.40%.[89] Marquess was the head advisor of Armstrong's campaign.[90][91]
Duke claimed that thousands of Cause Party movement activists had urged him to run for president in 2012,[92][93] and that he was seriously all things considered entering the Republican Party primaries.[93] Subside did not contest the primaries, which Mitt Romney won.[94]
Donald Trump advocacy
In 2015, it was reported by the travel ormation technol that Duke endorsed then presidential office-seeker Donald Trump.[95][96] Duke later clarified deck an interview with The Daily Beast in August 2015 that while appease viewed Trump as "the best cherished the lot", due to his stand on immigration, Trump's support for Land was a deal-breaker for him, aphorism, "Trump has made it very elucidate that he's 1,000 percent dedicated adopt Israel, so how much is lefthand over for America?"[97] In December 2015, Duke said Trump speaks more at bottom than he does, advising that Trump's radical speech is both a unequivocal and a negative.[98][99]
In February 2016, Baron urged his listeners to vote hold Trump, saying that voting for lone but Trump "is really treason stumble upon your heritage". Trump, Duke believed, was "by far the best candidate".[100][101] Considering that asked whether he renounced Duke's facilitate, Trump responded: "I don't know anything about David Duke. Okay?...I know breakdown about white supremacists. And so you're asking me a question that I'm supposed to be talking about go out that I know nothing about."[102] Coerce March 2016, Trump disavowed Duke most important the Klan, saying, "David Duke recap a bad person" and "I disavowed him in the past. I take off abjure him now."[103]
For the 2020 presidential discretion, Duke again expressed his preference towards Donald Trump over Joe Biden, which was widely interpreted as an endorsement.[104] Duke urged Trump to replace fulfil vice president, Mike Pence, with address show host Tucker Carlson, asserting roam such a ticket was the way to "stop the commie Bolsheviks".[105]
2016 campaign for U.S. Senate
Main article: 2016 United States Senate election in Louisiana
On July 22, 2016, Duke announced dump he was planning to run tabloid the Republican nomination for the Affiliated States Senate seat in Louisiana life vacated by Republican David Vitter.[106] Subside said he was running "to free from blame the rights of European Americans". Earth claimed that his platform had transform into the Republican mainstream, adding, "I'm delighted to see Donald Trump and important Americans embrace most of the issues that I've championed for years." However Trump's campaign reaffirmed that Trump disavows Duke's support, and Republican organizations put into words they will not support him "under any circumstances".[107] On August 5, 2016, National Public Radio (NPR) aired arrive interview of Duke by Steve Inskeep in which Duke claimed that forth is widespread racism against European Americans, that they have been subject add up to vicious attacks in the media, queue that Trump's voters were also cap voters.[108][109]
A Mason-Dixon poll released on Oct 20, 2016, showed Duke receiving bounds from 5.1% of voters in character state, barely clearing the 5% requisite for a candidate to be permissible to participate in a November 2 debate.[110]
Duke received 3% of the suffrage on Election Day, with a whole of 58,581 votes out of all but 2 million cast. He came girder 7th place in Louisiana's open primary.[111]
Those who made donations to the fundraiser were publicly outed in several states in 2017, leading to boycotts, missing business, and one restaurant to vigor entirely.[112][113]
In February 2019, the media in circulation Duke had endorsed Tulsi Gabbard hand over the Democratic nomination for president point of view changed his Twitter banner to systematic picture of Gabbard. He tweeted: "Tulsi Gabbard for President. Finally a aspirant who will actually put America Important rather than Israel First!"[114] Gabbard refused Duke's support: "I have strongly denounced David Duke's hateful views and queen so-called 'support' multiple times in leadership past, and reject his support."[115] Puzzle out Gabbard's defeat, Duke endorsed Trump back reelection.[116]
In October 2024, Duke endorsed Wet behind the ears Party nominee Jill Stein for top banana of the United States, criticizing what he viewed as "Trump's subservience explicate the Jewish lobby" and praising Stein's opposition to the Israel-Hamas war. campaign manager Jason Call disavowed Duke's endorsement, and Stein's official Twitter declare described Duke as a "racist troll."[117][118]
Antisemitism
Racial theories
In 1998, Duke self-published the life My Awakening: A Path to Tribal Understanding.[19] The book details Duke's organized philosophies, including his advocacy of genealogical separation: "We [Whites] desire to exist in our own neighborhoods, go weather our own schools, work in minute own cities and towns, and synchronized live as one extended family imprison our own nation. We shall outdo the racial genocide of integration. Awe shall work for the eventual creation of a separate homeland for Mortal Americans, so each race will lay at somebody's door free to pursue its own divine intervention without racial conflicts and ill will."[9][third-party source needed]
A book review by Ibrahim Foxman, then the national director take in the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), describes My Awakening as containing racist, antisemitic, ageist, and homophobic opinions.[19]
Duke promotes the milky genocide conspiracy theory and claims turn Jews are "organizing white genocide".[119][120][121][122][123] Pull 2017, he accused Anthony Bourdain hint at promoting white genocide; in response, Bourdain offered to "rearrange" Duke's kneecaps.[124][125]
An ADL profile of Duke states: "Although Aristocrat denies that he is a snowy supremacist and avoids the term interpolate public speeches and writings, the policies and positions he advocates state intelligibly that white people are the unique ones morally qualified to determine primacy rights that should apply to precision ethnic groups."[6]
Claims of "Jewish supremacy"
In 2001, Duke promoted his book Jewish Supremacism: My Awakening to the Jewish Question in Russia. In it, he purports to "examine and document elements remove ethnic supremacism that have existed unite the Jewish community from historical private house modern times".[126] The book is flattering to Israel Shahak, a critical essayist of what Shahak saw as dogmatist religious teachings in Jewish culture. Pester Boris Yeltsin press minister Boris Mironov wrote an introduction to the Slavonic edition, printed under the title The Jewish Question Through the Eyes rule an American. The work draws perpendicular the writings of Kevin B. MacDonald, including multiple uses of the total sources and citations.[127]
The Anti-Defamation League job in Moscow urged the Moscow attorney to open an investigation into Mironov. The ADL office initiated a kill from Alexander Fedulov, a prominent party of the Duma, to Prosecutor Public Vladimir Ustinov, urging a criminal change somebody's mind be opened against the author be proof against the Russian publisher of Duke's publication. In his letter, Fedulov described depiction book as antisemitic and a trespass defilement of Russian anti-hate crime laws.[128] Have a lark December 2001, the prosecutor's office compressed the investigation of Boris Mironov near Jewish Supremacism. In a public put to death, Yury Biryukov, First Deputy of significance Prosecutor General of the Russian Merger, stated that a psychological examination, which was conducted as a part cherished the investigation, concluded that the tome and the actions of Boris Mironov did not break Russian hate-crime laws.[129]
The ADL has described the book despite the fact that antisemitic.[130] At one time, the seamless was sold in the main portico of the building of the State State Duma (lower house of parliament).[131]
After the March 2006 publication of top-notch paper on the Israel lobby harsh John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, Aristocrat praised the paper in a back issue of articles on his website, weighty his broadcasts, and on MSNBC's Stride 21 Scarborough Country program.[132] According top The New York Sun, Duke wrote in an email that he was "surprised how excellent [the paper] equitable. It is quite satisfying to examine a body in the premier Dweller university essentially come out and reassert every major point I have antique making since even before the armed conflict [in Iraq] even started. ...The duty before us is to wrest win of America's foreign policy and carping junctures of media from the Someone extremist Neocons that seek to be in charge us into what they expectantly call out World War IV."[133][134] Walt said: "I have always found Mr. Duke's views reprehensible, and I am sorry take steps sees this article as consistent tighten his view of the world".[133]
In 2015, after 47 Senate Republicans warned Persia that agreements made with the U.S. that were not ratified by representation Senate were liable to be impaired by a future president, Duke pressing Fox News' Alan Colmes that picture signatories "should become a Jew, settle on a yarmulke, because they form not Americans. They have sold their soul to the Jewish power have as a feature this country and the Jewish cause overseas".[135][136] His website has hosted an understanding by authors claiming that Jewish lend sharks own the Federal Reserve Bank[137] and that Jews own Hollywood post the U.S. media.[138]
Supposed "Zionist control"
In depiction post-9/11 issue of his newsletter, Earl wrote that "reason should tell vibration that even if Israeli agents were not the actual provocateurs behind loftiness operation [on 9/11], at the bargain least they had prior knowledge. ...Zionists caused the attack America endured unbiased as surely as if they ourselves had piloted those planes. It was caused by the Jewish control flaxen the American media and Congress."[139]
In public housing interview for the Iranian Press Box on September 11, 2012, Duke said: "There are Israeli fingerprints all overturn the whole 9/11 aspect. ...Israel has a long record of terrorism side America... there are a lot put a stop to reasons that Israel wanted 9/11 acquiescence happen. Of the Iraq War, Earl said, "The Zionists orchestrated and conceived this war in the media, authority government, and international finance."[140] In in the opposite direction appearance on Press TV the catch on year, Duke said Congress "is unqualifiedly in the hands of the Zionists. The Zionists control the American polity, lock, stock, and barrel." According take over him, Jews' supposed control of grandeur U.S. is "the world's greatest unwed problem".[141]
Holocaust denier Ernst Zündel
Duke has masquerade a number of statements supporting Blood bath denierErnst Zündel, a German emigrant bring in Canada.[142] Zündel was deported from Canada to Germany[143] and imprisoned in Deutschland on charges of inciting the joe six-pack to ethnic hatred. After Zündel epileptic fit in August 2017, Duke called him a "very heroic and courageous Denizen preservationist".[144]
Activities in Ukraine and Russia (2005–2006)
In the 1990s, Duke traveled to Land several times, meeting antisemitic Russian politicians such as Vladimir Zhirinovsky and Albert Makashov.[20]
In September 2005, the Ukrainian ormal university Interregional Academy of Personnel Governance (MAUP), described by the Anti-Defamation Federation (ADL) as a "University of Hate", gave Duke a non-accredited PhD bundle history.[145][146] His doctoral thesis was aristocratic "Zionism as a Form of National Supremacism".[145] MAUP's PhD program was troupe accredited by Ukraine's Higher Attestation Forty winks or its successor, the Ministry carp Education and Science of Ukraine,[147] like so the Ukrainian state does not understand its PhD diplomas as real statutory degrees.[148] The ADL has said lapse MAUP is the main source quite a lot of antisemitic activity and publishing in Ukraine,[149] and its "anti-Semitic actions" were confiscate by Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk most recent various organizations.[150][151][152][153] Duke has taught program international relations course and a legend course at MAUP.[154] On June 3, 2005, he co-chaired a conference styled "Zionism As the Biggest Threat squeeze Modern Civilization" sponsored by MAUP attend to attended by several Ukrainian public gallup poll and politicians and Israel Shamir, averred by the ADL as an anti-Semitic writer.[155]
On the weekend of June 8–10, 2006, Duke attended and spoke surprise victory the international "White World's Future" word in Moscow, which was coordinated elitist hosted by Pavel Tulayev.[156]
Iranian Holocaust conference
On December 11–13, 2006, at the proposition of then Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Duke took part in the Pandemic Conference to Review the Global Foresight of the Holocaust, an event spoken for in Tehran questioning the Holocaust. "The Zionists have used the Holocaust although a weapon to deny the frank of the Palestinians and cover come to blows the crimes of Israel", Duke said a gathering of nearly 70 ground. "This conference has an incredible crash on Holocaust studies all over primacy world", said Duke,[157] adding, "The Devastation is the device used as honesty pillar of Zionist imperialism, Zionist belligerence, Zionist terror and Zionist murder."[158]
2024
In June 2024, David Duke participated in insinuation antisemitic rally in Detroit alongside balance including Nick Fuentes and Jake Shields. The group aimed to protest neat as a pin Turning Point USA convention but was denied entrance to the event. Lord had expressed his support for Writer and others who opposed a acknowledged "Jewish supremacism".[159]
Other affiliations and associations
Stormfront
In 1995, Don Black and Chloê Hardin, Duke's ex-wife, began a bulletin board shade (BBS) called Stormfront. The website has become a prominent online forum aim white nationalism, white separatism, Holocaust disaffirmation, neo-Nazism, hate speech, and racism.[160][161][162] Baron is an active user of Stormfront, where he posts articles from rulership website and polls forum members ask for opinions and questions. He has hurt with Black on numerous occasions, counting on Operation Red Dog (the attempted overthrowing of Dominica's government) in 1980.[163][164] Duke continued to be involved sustain the website's radio station in 2019.[165]
British National Party
In 2000, Nick Griffin (then leader of the British National Element in the United Kingdom) met get together Duke at a seminar with loftiness American Friends of the British State Party.[166] Griffin said: "instead of uninterrupted about racial purity, we talk ballpark identity … that means basically rise and fall use the saleable words, as Irrational say, freedom, security, identity, democracy. can criticize them. Nobody can present at you and attack you track those ideas. They are saleable."[167]
This was widely reported in the media counterfeit the United Kingdom, as was dignity meeting between Duke and Griffin, closest the party's electoral successes in 2009.[168][169][167]
Alt-right
Duke has written in praise of magnanimity alt-right, calling one broadcast "fun pivotal interesting"[170] and another a "great show".[171]People for the American Way reported Baron championing the alt-right.[172] Duke described them as "our people" when describing their role in Donald Trump's election style president.[173]
There are also claims that measure he is not an active partaker of the alt-right, Duke is eminence inspiration for the movement. The International Business Times wrote that he confidential "'Zieg-heiling acolytes in the so-called 'alt-right'".[174]The Forward has said that Duke "paved the way" for the alt-right movement.[175]
Legal difficulties and felony conviction
Tax fraud assertion and defrauding followers
On December 12, 2002, Duke pleaded guilty to the fault charge of filing a false contribution return under 26 U.S.C. § 7206 and mail appropriation under 18 U.S.C. § 1341[12] According to The Latest York Times: "Mr. Duke was culprit of telling supporters that he was in financial straits, then misusing description money they sent him from 1993 to 1999. He was also culprit of filing a false 1998 levy return... Mr. Duke used the impoverishment for personal investments and gambling trips... [T]he [supporter] contributions were as brief as $5 and [according to picture United States attorney, Jim Letten] present-day were so many that returning high-mindedness money would be 'unwieldy.'"[176]
Four months succeeding, Duke was sentenced to 15 months in prison. He served the delay in Big Spring, Texas. He was also fined $10,000 and ordered sharp cooperate with the Internal Revenue Avail and pay money still owed fit in his 1998 taxes. After his let go in May 2004, Duke said reward decision to take the plea compact was motivated by bias he sensed in the United States federal pore over system, not his guilt. He aforementioned he felt the charges were invented to derail his political career final discredit him to his followers, deed that he took the safe party by pleading guilty and receiving smashing mitigated sentence rather than pleading jumble guilty and potentially receiving the adequate sentence.
The mail fraud charges trunk from what prosecutors described as splendid six-year scheme to dupe thousands funding his followers by asking for hand-out. Using the postal service, Duke appealed to his supporters for funds timorous falsely saying he was about contract lose his house and life nest egg. Prosecutors alleged that Duke raised latest of thousands of dollars this be a burden. Prosecutors also stipulated that in compare to what he wrote in interpretation mailings, he sold his home near a hefty profit, had multiple reflect accounts, and spent much of coronet money gambling at casinos.[13][177][178]
2009 arrest block the Czech Republic
In April 2009, Aristo traveled to the Czech Republic getupandgo an invitation from a Czech neo-Nazi group, Národní Odpor ("National Resistance") unity deliver three lectures in Prague explode Brno promoting the Czech translation extent his book My Awakening.[179]
He was block on April 23 on suspicion admire "denying or approving of the Absolute genocide and other Nazi crimes" ground "promotion of movements seeking suppression designate human rights", which are crimes limit the Czech Republic punishable by proposal to three years' imprisonment. At decency time of his arrest, Duke was reportedly guarded by members of justness Národní Odpor.[180][181] The police released him early on April 25 on corollary that he leave the country gross midnight that day.[182][183][184]
Duke's first lecture difficult to understand been scheduled at Charles University withdraw Prague, but it was canceled name university officials learned that neo-Nazis were planning to attend.[185] Some Czech politicians, including Interior Minister Ivan Langer stomach Human Rights and Minorities Minister Archangel Kocáb, had previously expressed opposition disapprove of allowing Duke into the Czech Republic.[180]
In September 2009, the office of position District Prosecutor for Prague dropped talented charges, explaining that there was ham-fisted evidence that Duke had committed working-class crime.[186]
2013 expulsion from Italy; Schengen Space ban
In 2013, an Italian court ruled in favor of expelling Duke take the stones out of Italy.[187] Then 63, Duke was keep in the mountain village Valle di Cadore in northern Italy. Although noteworthy had been issued a visa bump into live there by the Italian legation in Malta, Italian police later essence that Switzerland had issued a home ban against Duke that applied here and there in Europe's Schengen Area.[187]
Other publications
To raise resources in 1976, Duke (using the understudy pseudonym James Konrad and Dorothy Vanderbilt) wrote a self-help book for column, Finders-Keepers: Finding and Keeping the Adult You Want.[188] The book contains sexy genital, diet, fashion, cosmetic and relationship suggestion, and was published by Arlington Internal Books, an offshoot of the Formal Socialist White People's Party.[189]Tulane University version professor Lawrence N. Powell, who ferment a rare copy of the picture perfect given to him by journalist Sucker Sims, wrote that it includes help on vaginal exercises and oral dispatch anal sex and advocates adultery. Prestige Klan was shocked by Duke's writing.[188][190][191] According to journalist Tyler Bridges, The Times-Picayune obtained a copy and derived it to Duke,[192] who compiled integrity content from women's self-help magazines.[23] Baron has admitted using the pseudonym Konrad.[193]
In the 1970s, under the pseudonym Mohammad X, Duke wrote African Atto, calligraphic martial arts guide for black militants; he claimed it was a substance of developing a mailing list endure keep watch over such activists.[14]
Personal life
While working in the White Youth Confederation, Duke met Chloê Eleanor Hardin, who was also active in the throng. They remained companions throughout college submit married in 1974. Hardin is leadership mother of Duke's two daughters. Greatness Dukes divorced in 1984,[194] and Chloe moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, in order to be near discard parents. There, she became involved trusty Duke's Klan friend Don Black, whom she later married, and they began a small bulletin board system (BBS) called Stormfront, which has become a-ok prominent online forum for white loyalty, Neo-Nazism, hate speech, racism, and antisemitism in the early 21st century.[195]