Allen West Avoids House Scolding For Nazi Comment As Democratic Effort Fails

WASHINGTON -- The House refused Tuesday to reprimand Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) for repeated comments last week comparing Democrats to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels.

"If Joseph Goebbels was around, he'd be very proud of the Democrat Party because they have an incredible propaganda machine," West said last week. He then repeated the claim in a letter to Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) after Conyers took West to task for the comment.

Goebbels was the Third Reich's minister of public enlightenment and propaganda and a key architect of the Holocaust, in which some 6 million Jews were killed.

West, who represents a large Jewish population in a district that includes Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, was sharply criticized by Jewish groups for comparing a mainstream American political party to a genocidal regime that sought the extermination of whole peoples.

After both the National Jewish Democratic Council and the Anti-Defamation League strongly objected to West's statement, the congressman defended his words, telling reporters, "I'm talking about propaganda. ... Don't start taking my words and twisting it around."

But House Republicans on Tuesday blocked an attempt by Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) to reprimand West by bringing a privileged resolution.

"The outrageous and insensitive remarks made by Rep. West have no place in our nation's political discourse," said Edwards in a statement. "This privileged resolution states clearly that this distasteful behavior cannot and will not be tolerated in the House of Representatives.

"The American people demand and deserve true leaders who are willing to work together to solve the nation's economic and fiscal challenges," Edwards continued. "I ask my Congressional Colleagues to join me in sending a clear message that we share that priority."

House members voted along party lines, 231 to 188, to table the motion, effectively killing it.

Before the vote, West's camp strongly objected to the effort, calling it a below-the-belt attack on the congressman.

"The Members of the Democrat party have stooped to a new level in their attempts to bring down Rep. West, who they have deemed a threat to their power," West spokeswoman Angela Sachitano said in a statement, according to the Palm Beach Post. "Here we are in the midst of serious Congressional business, and they are focusing their energy on Rep. West. Rep West has no comment at this time."

Asked after the vote about the attempt to reprimand him, West would only shrug. When pressed, he told HuffPost, "Merry Christmas."

Additional reporting by Nick Wing

Comments

[RepublicanDepression]

10:43 AM on 12/23/2011

hey Republicans!

Tell us how proud you are of West for this comparison.

Tell us how proud you are of the Republican majority for using their majority power to block West's reprimand.

[rogergoldkin]

08:12 AM on 12/22/2011

Who in the world voted for this guy!

[booboo111]

06:42 PM on 12/22/2011

The Floridians in his awful district.

[scott rockwerk]

11:05 AM on 12/23/2011

I did and I will again and the Dems are full of BS if you tell a lie often enough the simple minded will believe it! Your proof roger. Stop drinking the kool aid

[Teri L]

01:40 AM on 12/22/2011

That's what I like about Allen West. The man does not mince words!

[MikeWebster]

02:42 AM on 12/22/2011

I've heard he minces a bit though.

[booboo111]

06:43 PM on 12/22/2011

....he minces alot!

[knott wrench]

01:28 AM on 12/22/2011

Well obviously Mr.West's Inflated Ego and his Toady friends have kept him out of trouble so far.

A. Josef Goebbles Mantra, "Tell a Lie Often Enough and People will belieie its True" was adopted by Karl Rove and Rupert Murdock and his "Clone" Roger Ailes years ago.

So, Mr. West is out of touch with Reality.

B. Its time for the National Jewish Democratic Council to go and "Get Out The Vote" in Mr. West's Political District and Vote him out of office.

[jgmambo]

12:25 AM on 12/22/2011

Democrats: Second one that left the plantation ,let's get him too.

[DR2]

12:13 AM on 12/22/2011

Lay in the gutter and you will eventually get swept away.

[rww549]

10:20 PM on 12/21/2011

People with real strength tend to be fair and reasonable even if they disagree.It takes someone who is a real coward at heart to be as obnoxous as this clown.

[jgmambo]

12:03 AM on 12/22/2011

True hurt ? Hypocrite. You are doing the same thing you accuse him of doing.

[MikeWebster]

02:44 AM on 12/22/2011

I didn't notice rww549 claiming to have real strength. And I'm pretty sure he was nowhere near as obnoxious as Rep. West.

[knott wrench]

01:29 AM on 12/22/2011

Just looking for some Cheap Media Coverage.

[jshop]

10:10 PM on 12/21/2011

"West, who represents a large Jewish population in a district that includes Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, was sharply criticized by Jewish groups...." They voted this crackpot in (for some inexplicable reason); now, let them demonstrate their outrage by voting this unabashed @&%*head out!

[knott wrench]

01:30 AM on 12/22/2011

Exactly!

[janmB]

08:30 AM on 01/10/2012

I agree jshop-----that WEST was supported for his support of ISRAEL. He's a real snake.....
I don't know why the most EVIL of people manage to con others into voting for them.

[742]

08:35 PM on 12/21/2011

Comments like these are taught at the dinner table. White vs. Black. Christian vs. Jew. Muslims vs. Muslims (and every one who's not in their tribe).

It will never stop. Just needs to be contained by reasonable people, who are "supposedly" held to a higher standard.

Obvioulsy not something the 11% approval rate of Congress would indicate has occured.

[jgmambo]

12:10 AM on 12/22/2011

He probably learn this from the left.

[ahlesa4]

06:09 PM on 12/21/2011

If they are going to be absurd they should at least be consistent. He should have said the Soviet Department for Agitation and Propaganda.

Besides, at least they had better art in their posters.

(obviously joking ;-)

[petergard]

06:07 PM on 12/21/2011

Merry Christmas to you as well Mr. West - you would have made Hitler proud.

[soisay]

05:56 PM on 12/21/2011

Allen West seems to have caught ”Nazi-Tourettes” from Glen Beckk.

[KaAp]

06:23 PM on 12/21/2011

F&F

[knott wrench]

01:32 AM on 12/22/2011

Yes, but last I checked, (from the Military History Channel Programs) Mr. West and Glenn Beck do not "Meet" the definition of a "Nazi". But ones who would be punished by them.

[MikeWebster]

03:07 AM on 12/22/2011

I'm pretty sure Glenn would have fitted in perfectly. I don't know about West, or whether he's generally as amoral, and dishonest as Glenn.

Though it is of course possible that Glenn would have been euthanazed because of mental illness.

[ShoreSage]

05:46 PM on 12/21/2011

West doesn't get it. While the GOP likens Obama to socialists, it's the Republicans who most mimic the fascist ideal of a union between government and industry. Ike warned us of the military-industrial complex, didn't he? He just didn't realize that it was his party that would bring it to its highest level.

[knott wrench]

01:33 AM on 12/22/2011

Yes, I tend to agree.

[Gaylord P Farqua]

05:40 PM on 12/21/2011

West is second only to the Newtmeister himself in the loose cannon of the mouth club. He was elected by a bunch of frustrated Floridians who chose to believe that the TPGOP had the answers to all the nation's ills. At the same time Medicare Fraud Indicted Governor Scott got past the common sense radar. Of course the TPGOP has no answers they only destroy stuff and do little to improve it. But, credit where credit is due,  West packaged himself well and got the seat. Former Representative Klein came off as a wet noodle and perhaps did the voters a favor by handing the election to West and giving him the opening to let his real personality blast thorough the facade.  Perhaps this last revelation sprinkled with Nazi boogey men will wake up the voters in whatever district he lands in. Maybe a wider awake electorate will bounce West and the rest of the TPGOP slash and burn artists who won in the last go around.

[skidawgkc22]

05:25 PM on 12/21/2011

First off, I feel a need to remind everyone that it is not the "Democrat Party" but rather the DemocratIC Party.

Secondly, since when was the Democratic Party masterful at propaganda? That's something the RIGHT seems to do so much better than the left. Fox News is nothing but a right-wing propaganda channel.

Third, shame on Congress for letting this guy get off scott free.

Florida voters, take notice and retire this clown in 2012.

[KaAp]

05:49 PM on 12/21/2011

I am very sure that the people in his district will not vote him in again. In 2010 there was a low voter turnout considering the results this will never happen again.

[jgmambo]

12:14 AM on 12/22/2011

MSNBC ,propaganda king.