Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) vowed Monday to work with the Obama administration to make former President William McKinley’s legacy known even though his name has been stripped from the highest peak in North America, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
A slew of Ohio Republicans, including Republican presidential candidate and Ohio Gov. John Kasich as well as House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) have expressed their disappointment in Obama’s decision to return the mountain to its Alaska Native name, Denali. A prospector named the mountain for McKinley, who was from Ohio, in 1896.
But Brown defended Obama’s decision.
“This announcement is about honoring the Athabascan people who call Alaska their home and its highest mountain, Denali,” according to the newspaper. “President McKinley is a great Ohioan and streets and schools throughout the Midwest bear testimony to his legacy. I will continue to work with the Administration to ensure that future generations of Americans are aware of McKinley’s legacy.”
When TPM reached out to Brown’s staff for clarification, spokeswoman Lauren Kulik responded in an email that he wasn’t available for an interview.
“Sen. Brown will reach out to the Administration and the DOI to identify next steps,” she wrote in an email.