Rep. Allen West defended the tea party on Wednesday morning when Fox and Friends played clips of various Democratic black lawmakers, and members of the Congressional Black Caucus, attacking the tea party movement and lawmakers on Capitol Hill who are aligned with the tea party. The Florida Republican, a maker popular with the tea party, also said he was beginning to “reconsider” his membership in the CBC at that point. It looks as if Rep. West will remain in the CBC for the time being. Below is an excerpt from the letter he sent to Rep. Cleaver: (bolding is mine)
Congressman West sent a letter to CBC Chairman Emanuel Cleaver, Missouri Democrat, telling the Missouri Congressman:
“Congressman Carson’s desire to generally criticize a large grassroots group as racist is baseless and desperate. When individuals believe they are defeated in a political disagreement, they normally resort to race-baiting, which in my opinion in itself racist.”
“As a member of the CBC, I look forward to you to help end this practice. All of us, especially Congressman Carson, Congresswoman Waters and others who have engaged in racially motivated rhetoric, should follow the example of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., not the example of Reverend Jeremiah Wright.”
Congressman Andre Carson, Indiana Democrat, told a Miami audience over one week ago, that he believes the tea party wants to see blacks “hanging from trees.”
