Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney took to Twitter on Saturday and said the Confederate flag should not be flown at the South Carolina capitol.
The flag debate was reignited after nine people at a historically black church were killed June 17. Dylann Roof, 21, was arrested on Thursday shortly after the massacre.
“Take down the #ConfederateFlag at the SC Capitol. To many, it is a symbol of racial hatred. Remove it now to honor #Charleston victims,” Mr. Romeny said via his official Twitter account.
Politicians from South Carolina, including Senator Lindsey Graham, have been asked to comment on the Confederate flag since the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church shooting.
“We’re not going to give this a guy an excuse about a book he might have read or a movie he watched or a song he listened to or a symbol out anywhere. It’s him … not the flag,” the Republican told CNN on Saturday. Mr. Graham joins a large group of presidential hopefuls vying for the 2016 presidential nomination.
Mr. Romney also came out against South Carolina’s use of the Confederate Flag in 2008.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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