A new video has emerged of a group of men harassing and bullying a Democratic staffer at a Republican speaking event. The event in question was hosted by Republican candidate Allen West, who is running for Congress in Florida's 22nd congressional district. West's Democratic opponent, Ron Klein, sent one of his staffers to videotape West. This tactic is common among campaigns who want to capture public moment of their opponent to gain material to use in political ads. However, as the video to the left shows, a group of men surround Klein's staffers and make him leave the premises. The man was "escorted" out by the gang of men after West saw him in the crowd.
Democrats are saying that the men in the video may be from the same biker gang West has been linked to in recent news report. Earlier this week NBC released a story illustrating how West used a biker gang called "the Outlaws" for protection during one interview. West also invited the group to campaign event, and defended "the Outlaws" when asked to distance himself from them by other Republicans. The Outlaws have been called a "highly organized criminal enterprise with a defined, multi-level chain of command" by the FBI. The group devotes a portion of their website to a section called "Brothers in Prison" which remembers a number of members in prison for violent crimes, including murder. Recently the FBI conducted a joint-raid on "the Outlaws" which resulted in criminal indictments for crimes involving "extortion, drugs, and guns."
The West campaign responded by saying the men were former Vietnam veterans. While that may or may not be true, the West campaign did not say whether the men were also part of "the Outlaws." In addition, whether veterans or not the men's behavior certainly seemed intimidating to say the least. The Democratic Party is now no longer allowing staffers to cover the West campaign for fears over their safety.
The case of alleged voter intimidation by the "New Black Panthers" has received a tremendous amount of media attention from Fox News. It will be interesting to see if this case of intimidation from a Republican gets the same kind of attention.
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Comments
Why would being a Veteran from any war preclude you from being a thug? - lg
Mr. Witt, while I appreciate your reporting... I don't appreciate you constantly harassing Allen West. I personally would vote for Klein, but truthfully the liberal media I used to love are becoming just as bad as people like Glenn Beck. DONT BECOME A GLENN BECK!!
Sorry but when I see a Republican candidate using a gang like this as his guards, and to bully staffers as is shown in this video, I am going to cover it. That is not being Glenn Beck. That is covering an important story. I will not apologize for it. I have never compared West to a Nazi, and that alone separates me from Beck. Respectfully, I would argue that you are making an argument based on a false equivalency.
So...from the article, "The West campaign responded by saying the men were former Vietnam veterans"
Now that fact IS interesting if proven true. I am not at all sure how that process works where a Viet Nam veteran becomes a former Viet Nam veteran. Do you get voted out of the club or brutally murdered by a biker to become a former Viet Nam veteran?
Hey, BTW I heard Tides CEO Drummand Pike was concerned that Glenn Beck might t try to put out a hit job on him (otherwise know as having him waxed) if advertisers didn't stop advertising on the FOX cable news channel. Any news on that?
Yeah and even if he uses thugs I will personally deny seeing anything just like LIEberal pigressive did with the Black Panthers and ACORN. It's about time we starting playing the same game as these Marxist lying thugs have for years.
I dinnit see nuttin' I was on vacation.
Sounds no worse than the Demons using their Union Thugs to beat up and harrass people at Tea Party gatherings, like they did to the one black man handing out "Don't Thread On Me" flags. The Legion of Demons are grasping at straws because they know the American people are sick and tired of their lowlife dealings since Obambi came on the scene! I used to be a member of that sick party but they have turned out to be the Party of LIES in which I can no longer participate. I would rather have Patriotic Bikers around than a bunch of criminal white collar scum like the Demoncraps! Allen West will be the next Senator and possible our President. It would be nice to have a Decent, Patriotic, Veteran Black man take the office, not like the scum who now sits in the Oval Office!
Great Article thanks Ryan. Keep up the good work. And don't let the right wing bullies try and scare you away from reporting the truth.
Ah, the ol' "the other guy does it so it's okay' argument from the usual suspects, I see.
Wrong is WRONG - maybe someday the partisan-poopers will realize that.
But I doubt it.
Hey BM aka Bowel Movement. Shut your ignorant piehole and go copy and paste some more hack.
Who or what is "BM"?
I'm simply a guy who has little to no respect for either wing of the Incumbency Party - because they've certainly done little to deserve respect.
Your articles continue to be biased. It was a private event. The tracker was not invited. The men who escorted him to his car were wearing leather so you conclude that they are dope dealing bikers. Sorry reporting. Let me ask you, is Allen West sending out trackers to Ron Klein events? The answer is no. But ron Klein does send out mailers with West's SSN; he has people uproot West's signs or deface them, and he has done many other things. But you are hell bent on focusing on West. You are just another hack with an agenda. But I will tell you that there is nothing there. You and your ilk are attempting to create a connection with an all white motorcycle gang and slandering a very good and honorable man.
It was at a Public Park. It wasn't private at all.
Also never referred to them as dope dealing bikers. Actually...that was you.
Wow, it seems anybody can write a news article now a day. Ryan Witt is a LIBERAL THUG
Sorry that comment was uncalled for, my apologies.
Why are we surprised. This is a guy who in his own words delivered a stump speech in which the takeaway was literally "bayonets".
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