Lott's Little White Lies

by David Corn

More than a month ago, after reporters raised questions about Lott's hobnobbing with the white supremacists of the Council of Conservative Citizens, his press secretary said that Lott "vaguely" remembered talking to the group "over a decade ago." In a statement in December, Lott said he did not consider himself a member of the group.

All that proved to be whopping lies. Three weeks ago, a member of the Council's executive board confirmed to John Kifner of The New York Times that "Trent is an honorary member." In 1997 Lott held a private meeting with the CCC in his Washington office, and the group circulated literature with his endorsement of the Council. In 1991 and 1995 he addressed its Mississippi chapter. In 1992 he praised the Council when he was the keynote speaker at a national board meeting. He also has shown up at rallies held by the Council.

If you had one mud pie to toss, and the targets were a man who may have perjured himself about a consensual one-sided sexual affair and a fellow who lied about his association with white supremacists, who would you splatter? Lott doesn't understand that as long as the Clinton chasers are led by liars, self-righteous hypocrites, bigots and scoundrels, their j'accuse project will gain no traction. It will slip and slide on the oil slick of their own unrecognized shame.