Allen West Fundraises After Calling House Democrats Communists

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) is hoping to make some money off the fact that he said up to 81 House Democrats are members of the Communist Party.

"You know I am not afraid to speak the truth. That's why I’m the number one target of liberals and their friends in the media who are going completely nuts about my comments at a recent Townhall meeting," reads a West campaign email sent out Friday to supporters. "I need your help to fight back and stand up against the corrupt liberal media as they attempt cover for their left-wing allies."

The freshman Republican landed himself in hot water for telling constituents at a Tuesday town hall that he "believe[s] there's about 78 to 81 members of the Democrat Party who are members of the Communist Party. It's called the Congressional Progressive Caucus." His comments prompted a strong backlash from many House Democrats, including Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who said West's comments were "vicious" and "so stupid" that even Joe McCarthy wouldn't have said them.

But on Friday, West doubled down on his comments, saying the Congressional Progressive Caucus is known "for their extreme left-wing positions," like supporting Fidel Castro.

"The Progressive Caucus advocates for state control over industries, redistribution of wealth, reduced individual economic freedom, and the destruction of free markets. Members of this Caucus lavished praise on Fidel Castro following a 2009 visit to Cuba. They have even introduced a constitutional amendment to redistribute wealth," read the campaign email.

"You can call them whatever you want, but they [sic] point is, they oppose free markets and individual economic freedom, they are determined to empower government to redistribute wealth, and they want to see the nation fundamentally transformed," the email continued. "Their policies are destructive and I will stand up to them regardless of the critics."

The email directs readers to a page on West's campaign website and asks people to help support his "conservative army."

Members of the liberal House caucus maintain that they are not, in fact, communists.

"It's a shame that some have resorted to name-calling. I'm a proud progressive; not a Communist #mepolitics," Rep. Chellie Pingree tweeted Thursday.

UPDATE: 4:19 p.m. -- Later Friday, West's Democratic challenger, Patrick Murphy, launched a petition calling for an apology from the GOP lawmaker. He called West's comments "deplorable and outrageous."

The Florida Democratic Party also hit back with a video called "Sh** Allen West Says," to the tune of the song "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley.

Also on HuffPost:

Comments

[Kyle L]

06:51 PM on 06/08/2012

READ, the Democratic Party Platform and the Communist Party's Platform......Same, same.

Next up, Rep. West will accuse the sun of being hot. Ya think?

[beingthebest]

06:23 AM on 04/16/2012

This whole thing was carefully crafted. The man needs money, so he says some outrageous things, caused a stirred than pleads with voters he's being attacked and needs money.

Plain and simple.

[Craig Koebelin]

08:39 AM on 04/17/2012

Stunts to bag out-of-district money will proliferate.

[Kathryn Talbert]

08:22 PM on 04/15/2012

That's what happens when get into military service at a young age and get your education at a third-rate college where you live in a third-rate dorm smoking first-rate dope with your third-rate friends while watching old John Wayne and Ronald Reagan movies on the VCR.

People like this should be encouraged to run on all cylinders at all times so they burn out faster.

[Sammie55]

04:30 PM on 04/24/2012

Touche'

[Olethea]

07:52 PM on 04/15/2012

This guy is just a vile destructive force, not good for either party.

His kind of devisive vitriolic rhetoric should be condemned by Boehner. But it won't be, because Milquetoast Boehner is too busy drinking and tanning to lead the House.

[Q45]

08:39 PM on 04/20/2012

Maybe this attack did not originate from West, could have come from higher up or wealthy supporter.

[Olethea]

10:00 PM on 04/20/2012

Perhaps, but as the surrogate, West needs to take the heat.

[chr1st1an]

10:46 AM on 04/15/2012

""greytunes You do know your heros, Bush, Cheney, Wolfowitz, et al were very proud of being Neocons.. I don't know about you, but I have private property that is not owned by the gov't, I bank in a community bank which I have no doubt, considering who owns the bank, has absolutely no gov't ownership. Please thank your past GOP Presidents for the debt you so obviously think you own. "

To call them all communists is actually a compliment. They're worse than that.

Ditto for Rush Limbaugh. There's only ONE politician who I know is not a communist, and that's Ron Paul.

[morganthepirate]

12:20 AM on 04/15/2012

Van Jones admitted it, they might as well come clean too.........................

[laserbabe]

01:43 AM on 04/15/2012

and so should you.

[JohnBryansFontaine]

11:54 PM on 04/14/2012

Allen West's dog is a commie! :

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1UJuCvDKYH8/TrvIxrto9NI/AAAAAAAAJEg/6QIFokHHPqg/s1600/Commie_Dog_by_GeneralZadrek.jpg

[saxcanc]

10:11 PM on 04/14/2012

Dear Tea Baggers get your "isms" straight. It's called a dictionary and for the advanced among you try "Google".

[laserbabe]

12:59 AM on 04/15/2012

they only know how to use the internets to troll...

[bynddrvn5]

09:18 PM on 04/14/2012

Allen West and the Tea Baggers need to read books that are beyond the 5th grade level.

"Life is hard; its harder when you're stupid." - John Wayne

[laserbabe]

01:19 AM on 04/15/2012

the candidates just read what grover norquist makes them read so ALEC will keep backing them. As for their "base." there's a reason they call it their "base."

[Bonnie511]

08:42 PM on 04/14/2012

There's only one person "going nuts" here, and his initials are A. W.

[l78lancer]

08:40 PM on 04/14/2012

Guess what - You're number one on the list of republicans who want to see you replaced, too.

It has to be gratifying to be so popular.

[l78lancer]

08:39 PM on 04/14/2012

No, you are the number one target in congress because you are the most stupid person in congress.

It's just that simple.

[ziggrl]

04:06 PM on 04/14/2012

Good for West for calling these Commies out. Joe McCarthy was a good man too. These commies are no longer afraid. The mask has been pulled off and they are clearly out in the open now. They ran the blue dog democrats out of the house and senate. Most of them retired or decided not to run again. Progressives are all about control. They need to be shamed back into their closets.

[juabdib]

06:13 PM on 04/14/2012

Here come the fascists. Libertarians are people who are too embarrassed to call themselves Republicans. Did you know West thinks the Chinese have taken over the Panama Canal? He's your idiot, thanks for claiming him.

[AdamWest1313]

12:01 AM on 04/15/2012

There are no communists in government. Learn the difference between liberalism (even welfare liberalism) and communism, then you will realize why your post is so amazingly wrong.

Even progressives aren't the same as communists, yet you clearly juts used them interchangeably.

[chr1st1an]

03:33 PM on 04/14/2012

If you took the time to look up the definition of "communist", you'd see they are the exact same people as socialists, leftists, progressives, and neo-cons.

[laserbabe]

06:13 PM on 04/14/2012

you must have only taken the time to "look them up" on fox talking points. don't be so lazy.

[juabdib]

06:15 PM on 04/14/2012

If you were dealing with reality, you'd know there is no god and West is a knucklehead who appeals to very stupid people. Keep dreaming...

[voodoo8]

03:32 PM on 04/14/2012

a simpleton barking out random numbers to elicit fear and money from other simpletons

[advchaser]

03:41 PM on 04/14/2012

Compared to the one in the WH who consistently spews tripe to mislead and misinform.

The Washington Post has been awarding Obama an awful lot of Pinocchios lately for his campaign propaganda.

[voodoo8]

03:45 PM on 04/14/2012

If this is your guy, I feel bad for you

[juabdib]

06:17 PM on 04/14/2012

Links or lies?