Rep. Peter King, R-New York, said Tuesday that President Barack Obama should invite Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson to meet with him at the White House.
“I think it would be very helpful if President Obama went and met with the police officer, or at least invited him to the White House,” King said on Fox Business Network.
“And say, ‘you’ve gone through four months of smear and slander and the least we can do is tell you that it is unfortunate that it happened and thank you for doing your job.’”
Reflecting on Obama’s speech last night, King said he thought the President’s remarks were “lackluster.”
“I wish he said one good word about the police – one good word about Officer Wilson who had gone through all this,” King said, noting that the controversy affected both the defense and the prosecution.
After the decision not to indict Wilson in the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown was announced Monday, King put out a statement calling for peace and condemning the national narrative surrounding the controversy. On Tuesday, he elaborated his position.
“I thought it was terrible what happened over the last four months where this narrative was put out by our national leaders and by many in the media presuming that the police officer was guilty,” King said. “And I think if we are going to have peace, I think it’s important for both sides to be honest here.”
