West Says He Won't Apologize To Wasserman Shultz

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) said Thursday that he has no intention of apologizing to Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

After Fox Business Network’s Stuart Varney asked West whether he was planning on apologizing to Wasserman Shultz, West said simply, “That’s not happening.”

Democratic Reps. Gwen Moore (Wis.), Lois Capps (Calif.), Jackie Speier (Calif.), Donna Edwards (Md.) and Carolyn Maloney (N.Y.) have called on Republican leaders to rebuke West and urged him to apologize, but the South Florida Republican said the DNC Chair brought this scandal on herself by sending a private e-mail to the media.

“This is a pattern I referred to in that e-mail that goes back to 2010. Finally, I think I have the right to stand up and defend my honor and make sure that this type of activity does cease,” West said. “I sent her a private e-mail, she decided to make it public by releasing it to the news media.”

West served in the Army for more than two decades and said of his remarks, “Don’t poke me in the chest, that’s the bottom line to that exchange.”