Politics

Allen West blasts Bobby Rush, calls hoodie on House floor ‘immature gimmickry’

Jeff Poor Media Reporter
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On Thursday’s “The Laura Ingraham Show,” Florida Republican Rep. Allen West criticized Illinois Democratic Rep. Bobby Rush’s efforts to speak from the House floor Wednesday while wearing a hoodie as he discussed the Trayvon Martin case.

West joked that he was considering wearing a University of Tennessee hoodie, but then explained the security implications of Rush’s stunt.

“They are watching us real close now,” West said. “And you know right now, the security folks there on the House floor are laughing about it. But initially, they did not know who it was and they were concerned that someone had just walked off of the street or kind of had broken away from a tour group. But look, this is the type of immature gimmickry we see coming from the other side that you know, does not have any place, especially on the House floor and really in the United States.” (PELOSI: Rush showed ‘courage’ by wearing hoodie on House floor)

On the Trayvon Martin case itself, West condemn the threats coming from the New Black Panther Party.

“I put out a statement yesterday on my Twitter and Facebook about you know this bounty that has been put out there by the New Black Panther Party,” he said. “This is what happens when irrational voices and ideological media bias take over the political discourse and public dialogue. And we have to move away from that. The bottom line is there was a tragedy. A young American man lost his life. We need to allow the investigation to continue on but, you know right now he was unarmed and you know, someone has to be held accountable for that.”

But West aslo criticized how law enforcement has responded to the shooting.

“Even if you’re a police officer, Laura and you shoot someone that is unarmed — you’re put on desk duty,” he said. “Your weapon is taken away. So that’s my whole point. [George Zimmerman] should not be out there walking free with a concealed weapons license.”

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