After Illinois Rep. Mary Miller praises Hitler, Rep. Jan Schakowsky calls on her to resign

WASHINGTON — Comments freshman Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., made at a pro-Trump rally about how “Hitler was right on one thing,” referring to influencing youths, were met with condemnation and a call from Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., on Wednesday for her to resign.

The Holocaust genocide is a singular, non-comparable event in human history, and Miller is being condemned, by among others, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Adolf Hitler’s Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933, and with collaborators in other nations, murdered six million Jews and others — Roma, or Gypsies; homosexuals, political opponents, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the disabled and some from Slavic countries.

Miller, from Oakland, a small town in southeast Illinois, spoke at the “Moms for America Saving the Republic” rally outside the Capitol on Tuesday.

Miller earlier announced she was joining with other Republicans in objecting to Congress certifying the election of Joe Biden, who beat President Donald Trump in the popular and electoral votes.

At the rally, Miller, said, “Each generation has the responsibility to teach the next generation. You know, if we win a few elections we’re still going to be losing unless we win the hearts of our children. It’s the battle. Hitler was right on one thing that whoever has the youth has the future. Our children are being propagandized.”

In a statement, the Holocaust Museum said it “unequivocally condemns any leader trying to advance a position by claiming Adolf Hitler was ‘right.’ Adolf Hitler’s Germany plunged Europe into the most destructive event in human history, World War II and the Holocaust resulting in the genocide of six million European Jews.”

World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder — who was President Ronald Reagan’s Ambassador to Austria — also condemned what Miller said in a statement.

“It is simply outrageous and obscene for anyone to hold out Hitler, who perpetrated the greatest genocide in history, as a role model for any reason. One might expect this from white supremacists or neo-Nazis, but hearing the words “Hitler was right” from the mouth of a member of the United States Congress is beyond acceptable behavior by any standards.”

Schakowsky told the Sun-Times, “I think she should resign. She definitely should be condemned.”

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., said in tweet, “I outright condemn this garbage.”

Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, D-Ill., said Miller’s comment was “despicable.” Freshman Rep. Marie Newman, D-Ill., said the remark was “disgusting.”

Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., said, “No leader, and especially a Member of Congress, must ever invoke Hitler as a model of anything other than pure evil” and that Miller must apologize to “her constituents and all who honor the memory of the millions murdered by Hitler and the Nazis.”

The rest of the Illinois Democrats — Robin Kelly, Bobby Rush, Danny Davis, Mike Quigley, Sean Casten, Danny Davis, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Bill Foster, Lauren Underwood and Cheri Bustos — joined the others in a group statement condemning her “repugnant comment” saying she left a “black mark on our state.”

The 15-member Illinois Legislative Jewish Caucus, whose senior member is state Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, in a statement called for Miller to resign. “A sitting member of Congress who uses Hitler’s obscene methods for indoctrinating children with racism and fascism as a guidepost, igniting hate and violence, has no place in Congress.”

Miller’s office did not reply to a request for comment. Miller said in a Twitter post — that was deleted — “Let me be clear. I would never glorify a genocidal dictator. It’s the left’s propaganda that controls the youth and social media is utilized as a machine to do this.” She said in a later tweet her statement “was a denunciation of evil dictators’ efforts to re-educate young people and similar efforts by left-wing radicals in our country today.”