In the aftermath of the Charlottesville violence that took place over the weekend, President Donald Trump will return to the White House Monday afternoon for a meeting with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and newly minted FBI Director Christopher Wray. He will also meet with Chief of Staff General John Kelly. This will be the first time the President has met in person with the attorney general since openly criticizing and attacking him on Twitter.
Sessions announced over the weekend the Department of Justice has opened a full-scale civil rights investigation into what happened in Charlottesville. Specifically, prosecutors will target white supremacists who allegedly incited violence and left one woman dead at Saturday's protest after a man deliberately drove a car into a crowd.
“The violence and deaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart of American law and justice. When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated. I have talked with FBI Director Chris Wray, FBI agents on the scene, and law enforcement officials for the state of Virginia. The FBI has been supporting state and local authorities throughout the day. U.S. Attorney Rick Mountcastle has commenced a federal investigation and will have the full support of the Department of Justice. Justice will prevail,” Sessions said.
Trump was roundly criticized over the weekend for condemning "all sides" and failing to specifically call out white supremacy.
"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides -- on many sides. It's been going on for a long time in our country. Not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. It's been going on for a long, long time. It has no place in America," Trump said. "What is vital now is a swift restoration of law and order and the protection of innocent lives. No citizen should ever fear for their safety and security in our society, and no child should ever be afraid to go outside and play or be with their parents and have a good time."
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"Above all else, we must remember this truth: No matter our color, creed, religion or political party, we are all Americans first. We love our country. We love our God. We love our flag. We are proud of our country. We're proud of who we are. So we want to get the situation straightened out in Charlottesville and we want to study it and we want to see what we're doing wrong as a country, where things like this can happen," he continued.
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