Prince William Chairman At-large Corey Stewart (R) defended his statement comparing liberal media to ISIS in a statement his gubernatorial campaign sent to Bristow Beat, this week.

ISIS, or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, is known to the western world as an extremist military group responsible for terrorist acts including the kidnapping and murder of western journalist and aid workers.

Saturday, Bristow Beat published a story, sharing a campaign video in which Stewart compares the liberal media to ISIS.

“These national liberal papers, let them say their lies. They’re just like ISIS,” Stewart said in the video. “They don’t care about the truth.”

This statement was met with immediate condemnation from the Prince William Republican Committee and Supervisor Jeanine Lawson.

Other Republican members of the Board of County Supervisors have either spoken out against Stewart, as Marty Nohe (R-Coles District) had when Stewart stood before the Confederate Flag, or quietly tried to distance themselves from him.

But Stewart is not backing down. He responded to Bristow Beat’s inquiry, repeating the controversial rhetoric and reaffirming it.

“As we watch New Orleans and Charlottesville tear down their historical down monuments, it’s clear that, just like ISIS, liberals in media and government are bent on silencing their political opponents,” said a spokesperson for the Corey Stewart campaign for Governor of Virginia.

Stewart blames the media for casting him and other conservatives like himself as bigots because of their pro-enforcement stance against illegal immigration.

“The media doesn’t want to focus on my proposals and platform because it’s easier for you to portray conservatives as bigots. While media dishonestly implies that ending illegal immigration makes conservatives bigots, we are reasonably and rationally standing up for the rule of law.”

He said the media is “driven out-of-control [with] enforcement of political correctness” saying that it marginalize conservatives and Republicans “as fringe actors for wanting to let the free market work.”

He also says political correctness has to go to bring about significant job growth in Virginia. “Spineless Republicans” don’t get it, he said and “are prone to back down under the dishonest media’s pressure.”

Stewart said he can provide the right leadership to bring jobs to Virginia and “bring sanity back to Richmond.

Responses to Stewart’s statement can be found in Saturday’s article.