Uh Oh! Rep-Elect Allen West Calls For Censoring US Media Regarding WikiLeaks Coverage

Newly elected and TEA Party Favorite Col. Allen West (R-FL) has called for the government to step in and keep the media from reporting on any of the WikiLeaks released leaks:



Transcript:

WEST: There are different means by which you can be attacked. I mean it doesnt have to be a bomb or an airplane flying into a building. It doesn't have to be a shooting. It can be through cyber attacks, it could be through leaking of very sensitive classified information. Regardless of whether you think it causes any harm, the fact that here is an individual that is not an American citizen first and foremost, for whatever reason gotten his hands on classified American material and put it out there in the public domain. And I think that we also should be censoring the American news agencies which enabled him to do this and also supported him and applauding him for the efforts. So that's kind of aiding and abetting of a serious crime.

This is like closing the barn doors, after the cows have all stampeded out. The information is already our there, regardless of whether they read it in the New York Times or on the WikiLeaks site only. There is no extra harm in letting the media cover what has already been exposed.

He does have a point that terrorism can show up in many forms, and some would call this an act of cyber-terrorism. However, unless the media outlets are funding WikiLeaks and their attempts to break into national security databases to steal information, they shouldn't be punished for reported on what has already been brought to light.

Julian Assange should be tried for espionage for his activities related to his WikiLeaks website, but those that report on the leaks shouldn't be without direct proof that there was collusion between Assange and certain members of the media.

The freedom of the press is a basic American right that should be fiercely protected. It was in the first amendment of the Bill of Rights for a reason. It is one of the most exalted and revered rights that we have. West shouldn't have dismissed that so easily, no matter what his intent.

Rep-Elect Col. West (R-FL): We Have to Cut Military Spending

While on Top Line, Rep-Elect and retired Lieutenant Colonel Allen West (R-FL) echoed what his fellow Tea Party endorsed Rep-Elect Rand Paul said last week, when he said that we should definitely cut the military budget:

This is coming from a well-decorated officer. He should definitely know what he's talking about, when it comes to what the military needs. His opinion will carry alot of weight in Congress.

This is, also, interesting that this is coming from two TEA party candidates. I can't find a recent poll on the subject, but this could have some support from the public, as long as it is done smartly and not to the detriment to our national security.

I agree that cuts to the military could be done without hurting our strength and should be looked into seriously. Although, this may have a hard time getting widespread support from the other Republicans. So, it may be a non-starter, for now, but could gain traction somewhere down the line.

Rep-Elect West Sets His Sights on Congressional Black Caucus

Rep-elect Allen West (R-FL) has decided to take on the Congressional Black Congress by joining them next year:

With his convincing victory over Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, Allen West will be the first black Republican congressman in Florida since Reconstruction and one of only two black Republicans in the House, joining just-elected GOPer Tim Scott of South Carolina.

West plans to join the Congressional Black Caucus, which hasn't had a GOP member since three-term Connecticut Rep. Gary Franks was defeated in 1996. Former Oklahoma Republican Rep. J.C. Watts rejected joining the caucus, calling its members "race-hustling poverty pimps."

Conservative West, who seldom discussed race in his campaign, is critical of the "failure of the liberal welfare policies in the black community" and says the caucus could use some ideological diversity.

I wish him good luck because, like the NAACP, the CBC has long since strayed from truly representing all of African-Americans and have become shills and bastions for the most liberal left for decades now. We truly need more diversity of thought in these kinds of groups.

h/t Cubachi

Top GOP Black Candidate(Allen West-FL) Slams Obama Over How Black Panther Voter Intimidation Case Was Handled

One of the black GOP candidates running for the House this November had some stark criticism for Obama regarding his handling of the Black Panter voter intimidation case:

One of the GOP's handful of black candidates for Congress condemned President Barack Obama of exploiting race for political gain.

Allen West, the Republican challenging Rep. Ron Klein (D) in Florida's 22nd congressional district, sharply criticized the Obama administration for having allegedly declined prosecuting the New Black Panther Party on voter tampering charges for political reasons.

For an Administration that promised a new era in race relations, Obama and the Democrats in Congress have demonstrated that race will continually be exploited for political gain, West, who is one of two African-American Republicans running for Congress who have survived their primaries, said in a statement.

West was picking up on a meme that's made its way through conservative blogs in recent days, based on whistleblower claims made by a former Justice Department employee. Charges against the Black Panthers for their actions on Election Day 2008 weren't pursued because of racial politics, the employee charged. The Justice Department says charges were dropped due to lack of evidence.

West drew on his own history with race to condemn the Black Panthers, as well as other black Democrats, who he said had remained silent when he'd been called racially-ringed names during the course of his campaign.

The dye has been cast in this election cycle - Democrats and their liberal progressive socialist allies will continue to play the race card when it is politically expedient, West said. I demand an investigation of the New Black Panther Party and the placement of it, along with any extremist group, onto the Terrorist Watch List if warranted. If that it not done prior to my taking the oath of office as a United States Congressman, it will happen soon thereafter.