Donald Trump Compared to Dylann Roof by GOP Dark Horse Mark Everson

Dark horse Republican presidential candidate Mark Everson, the former commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), came out firing at businessman Donald Trump’s presidential campaign kickoff, comparing him to Charleston gunman Dylann Roof. Everson has been a supporter of immigration reform though he opposes President Barack Obama’s use of executive action to change the laws. 

“Donald Trump’s hate-mongering and demonization of immigrants are despicable,” Everson insisted on Tuesday. "In his announcement remarks Trump stated, ‘The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everybody else’s problems.’ Singling out Mexicans, Trump went on, ‘They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.’ His words parallel almost exactly those attributed to Dylann Roof about blacks, ‘You rape our women and you’re taking over our country.’

“Freedom of speech is a cornerstone of our democracy and protected under our Constitution,” Everson continued. “Trump has every right to spew racial hatred, but it has no place in the Republican nominating contest. Many will overlook the substance of his remarks, because Trump is at best a showman masquerading as a serious candidate for president. But that misses the point. As a friend of Roof’s said, ‘He made a lot of racist jokes, but you don’t really take them seriously like that.’ Well, apparently Roof was deadly serious. Trump’s remarks stoke the flames of racial hatred at a time when America needs healing. It is not hard to connect the dots between messages like Trump’s and actions by people like Roof.

“Republicans need to repudiate Trump if we are to be seen as deserving a chance to take back the White House,” Everson concluded. “Trump’s statements demonstrate that he is unsuited for public office at any level.”