Rep. West: Goebbels would be proud of Democrat 'propaganda machine'

Rep. Allen West (R-FL) said Thursday that Nazi Party Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels would be "very proud" of the Democratic Party's ability to spread its message.

"If Joseph Goebbels was around, he'd be very proud of the Democrat Party because they have an incredible propaganda machine," West told reporters, according to Politico. "I think that you have, and let's be honest, you know, some of the people in the media are complicit in this, in enabling them to get that type of message out."

But he insisted that his comment was not meant to compare Democrats to Nazis.

"I'm talking about propaganda, OK," West continued. "Don't start taking my words and twisting it around. I'm talking about propaganda. And I think that's a very important thing. When you tell me that everyone thinks that the only people on Capitol Hill are House Republicans, it's because that's what's being portrayed, is that there's nobody else up here."

He told reporters that they were going to use his comments to "make up some crazy story" and demonize him.

West has repeatedly made headlines for his controversial statements and attacks on Democratic lawmakers. He has called President Obama a “low-level socialist agitator” and described his supporters as a "a threat to the gene pool." West has also said he was helping black voters the escape slavery of the “21st-century plantation” overseen by black liberals like Rep. Maxine Waters.