Up to the voters to maintain scrutiny

A sizable number of our citizenry can't name their own congressman much less one from a faraway district such as the Florida 22nd Congressional District along the Sunshine State's south coast. But every American should get to know retired Army Lt. Col. Allen West, who defeated Democratic incumbent Ron Klein Nov. 2 an election noteworthy due to West becoming the first black Republican Congressman from Florida since Josiah Walls in the 1870s.

West, the third of four generations of his family to serve in the military, was drummed out of Army in 2003 while serving in Iraq for assault on an Iraqi police officer suspected of being a terrorist. Frustrated that the lengthy interrogation was getting nowhere, West took charge and fired a pistol shot near the detainee's face, who understandably blurted out information which proved to be uncorroborated and essentially worthless.

At his disciplinary hearing, West admitted his wrongdoing, was fined and even offered that “It's possible I was wrong about the detainee.”

West, however, was unapologetic about his interrogation tactics and became an instant hero of the “torture first” crowd. He parlayed that infamy to become a ubiquitous public speaker, leaving a trail of videos spouting his fervent belief that all of Islam has spent the last 14 centuries seeking to conquer the world, which will happen unless we take them on everywhere, hence his relish for our self-destructive wars in the Middle East.

West doesn't hold back on the campaign trail either. He told a rally that “we need to make the Democratic incumbent (Ron Klein) scared to come out of his house.”

Victory by a wide margin hasn't softened our intrepid congressional newcomer one bit. His first act as congressman elect was to hire Joyce Kaufman, a conservative Florida talk show host, to be his chief of staff. Kauffman, amazingly, makes West appear to be a cream puff. She once told her radio audience regarding illegal immigrants, “If you commit a crime while here, we should hang you and send your body back to where you came from and your family should pay for it.” She regaled a tea party rally during the election with the ol' “ballots or bullets” theory if we don't get what we want using ballots, we may have to resort to bullets.

Fortunately, the GOP establishment heard enough and forced Kaufman to withdraw her acceptance within days of its announcement. She didn't go quietly, however, charging that “I will not be used in an electronic lynching by proxy.”

Since it's unlikely West will emulate Kaufman's wise decision, it's up to all of us to do what the voters in Florida's 22nd wouldn't keep the bright light of public scrutiny and opprobrium focused like a laser on the wild, wild West.

Walt Zlotow

Glen Ellyn