Miller, wife of Illinois Republican State Representative Chris Miller, issued a statement on Friday saying, “I apologize for any damage my words have done” and she “[regrets] using a reference to one of the most wicked dictators in history. “But she criticized the critics for” intentionally trying to distort my words. “Miller’s spokeswoman Erin O’Malley considered an interview request with the congresswoman on Friday, but did not respond any further.
But Schakowsky, who is a Jew and serves in the leadership of the House, considered Miller’s statement insufficient. The audience she was addressing, said Schakowsky, “is precisely the kind of crowd that I think would hear and hear as a Hitler statement and that is dangerous.”
Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), A veteran of the Iraq War, said Miller should resign and be replaced by “someone who better understands the sacrifices our brave soldiers made during World War II.” Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker, who is also a Jew, called Miller’s comment at the rally “disgusting”. And Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, one of the first Republicans to push for Trump’s removal from office after Wednesday’s riots, called Hitler’s comments “rubbish.”
When Congress met again after Wednesday’s chaos, Miller voted against the Arizona Electoral College votes.
Even if Miller doesn’t resign, she may be forced to leave Congress anyway after the redistricting process starts later this year.
Illinois is expected to lose one of its 18 seats in Congress in the approaching redistricting process, as the state’s population has dropped relative to others. And there is a good chance that the remap does not bode well for Miller: she has no seniority against GOP Reps. Rodney Davis and Mike Bost for conservative seats. Now, his words have further alienated the state’s power structure, where Democrats control both the Illinois legislature and the governor’s office.
In his Friday statement, Miller said he has “been in discussion with Jewish leaders across the country”, but the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and several Jewish organizations have also condemned Miller’s comments.
Miller’s spokesman did not answer a question about whether his boss had attempted to bridge the Illinois delegation. Schakowsky said he did not know about Miller’s apology until he was mentioned by POLITICO. The governor has not heard of Miller either.
Miller initially tried to tweet apologies for his comments at the rally. She deleted one and one follow-up attracted contempt from Twitter users.
The freshman Republican represents a large, conservative district in southern Illinois, formerly occupied by John Shimkus, who retired and supported Miller.
Shimkus, who criticized the attack on the Capitol, avoided criticizing Miller directly when a local radio station asked about the comments during an interview. “I was disappointed,” said Shimkus. “Hitler sayings” are the best way to tell a story, he added.
Before the November election, Miller made it clear that he supported Trump and showed pictures of her and her husband meeting Trump at the White House.
After reaching victory in November, Miller was asked if she had a message for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her Democratic colleagues. Miller said, “I call them the crazy club.”
Miller is not the only freshman taking scrutiny for his far-right positions. Republican Party leaders rejected Georgia’s MP Marjorie Taylor Greene even before she was elected because she embraced QAnon’s conspiracy theories and posted racist videos on Facebook.