This post has been updated.
Niger Innis, a GOP candidate for the Nevada congressional district in which Cliven Bundy’s ranch is located, on Saturday defended the anti-government rancher, who was abandoned by many conservatives after his comments about “the Negro.”
During an Independent American Party event over the weekend, Innis gushed about the Bundys’ hospitality when he paid them a visit to discuss land rights, Buzzfeed reported on Tuesday.
The candidate lamented that the “the media is going to play with us to distract from the real issue, which is that the federal government has too much control over Nevada’s land.”
“They will try to distract, with the firestorm that Cliven started by using the r-word, the racism word,” Innis continued. “I can only tell you my experience with the Bundys. Having eaten with them and broken bread with them and I don’t consider Cliven or his wonderful family racist at all. Period, end of story.”
Innis, a spokesman for Congress of Racial Equality, is not alone in his defense of Cliven Bundy. A Republican candidate in the Georgia Senate race and Bundy’s body guard, both of whom are black, expressed support for Bundy after he said that he wondered if African-Americans “better off as slaves.”
Bundy on Friday switched his affiliation from the Republican Party to the Independent American Party.
Watch Innis’ remarks:
Correction: The original version of this post identified Niger Innis as Roger Innis.
“A native of New York, Innis has lived in Nevada since the end of 2007. He has been very active in politics, including in 2012. He supported Herman Cain’s presidential bid until the conservative Republican dropped out of the race. Then Innis backed the eventual GOP nominee, Mitt Romney, who lost badly to President Barack Obama, in Nevada.”
Never underestimate the art of breaking bread together with pigs. There is something in it for all. Niger Innis, a TP favorite of Sheldon Adelson and son of Roy Innis is the latest apologist for Bundy.
It’s not Nevada’s land, It’s the Federal Government’s land which makes it all our land.
“Cliven Bundy is not racist at all”, Donald Sterling loves black people.
Because it’s not racist if you can
payfind a black guy who’ll say it isn’t.Lucrative work if you have the stomach for it.
How far will he stoop to get elected?