Gov. Rauner Changes Course, Calls Virginia Violence Domestic Terrorism
CHICAGO (CBS) – Gov. Rauner, after initially refusing to say the violence in Charlottesville, Va., was an act of domestic terrorism, on Monday corrected his position after consulting with law enforcement on the topic.
At an event on Monday morning, Rauner declined to say the death of a woman, killed when a car slammed into a crowd of protesters on Saturday, was terrorism.
About three hours later, speaking with reporters, he said he had since consulted with Illinois law enforcement to get a clear legal definition on the issue.
"We can say definitively that an act of violence against someone because of their religious views, political views, ethnic background, that's an act of domestic terrorism," Rauner said.
When pressed on why it took him three hours to revise his comments, Rauner bristled.
"I made it crystal clear how I feel about the acts in Charlottesville," he told reporters, his voice rising. "I have said it from the [first] moment.
"What happened there was outrageous, despicable and we have no place in our society for racism or hated or violence."
"I asked law enforcement for a definition, I got it and declared it as it is. Nothing has changed in my heart and it never will.'
Democrats pounced on Rauner's initial reticence, three days after the incident. J.B. Pritzker, who is running for governor, called Rauner's actions "flagrant cowardice.'
Over the weekend, the governor issued a statement on Twitter.
One person was killed and 19 others were injured Saturday when a car plowed into a group of protesters in downtown Charlottesville, hours after police broke up violent confrontations ahead of a scheduled rally of white nationalists.
James Alex Fields Jr., 20, of Maumee, Ohio, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and one count of failing to stop after an accident that resulted in a death.
