House Won't Rebuke Rep. Allen West for Nazi Propaganda Remark

The House of Representatives defeated a resolution Tuesday to criticize Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) for his remarks comparing the Democrats' political messaging to the work of top Nazi propaganda head Joseph Goebbels.

Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) introduced the resolution to disapprove of West's remarks, but a Republican motion to kill the resolution was approved 231-188. Just three GOP members voted with all Democrats to keep the resolution alive.

West, a freshman congressman and Tea Party favorite, made his comments to reporters last week about the Democrats' supposed skill in convincing the American people that the only people to blame for the problems in Washington are the Republicans.

"If Joseph Goebbels was around, he’d be very proud of the Democrat Party, because they have an incredible propaganda machine," West said.

The resolution said the House "disapproves of the behavior of the representative from Florida, Mr. West, for bringing discredit to the House by offending the memory of those who died during the Holocaust."

When Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) sent West a note telling him he should "help raise the level of congressional discourse in a vigorous debate," West responded to Conyers standing by his comments, according to the resolution.

"The Democratic Party does indeed have a vicious propaganda machine, it espouses lies and deceit and the master of deceptive information would be truly proud," West wrote.

The resolution would have condemned "the repetition of this abhorrent and outrageous sentiment," and said it demonstrates "not only the willful and malicious misapplication of history, but also his disdain for the decorum of the Congress."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.