Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. Congressman-elect Allen West (R-FL) -- a black man whose campaign was strongly supported by the Tea Party movement -- has announced he plans to join the Congressional Black Caucus to bring political diversity to an allegedly nonpartisan group currently dominated by liberals who claim to represent the views of all black Americans after his January swearing-in.
Members of the Project 21 Black Leadership Network applaud this effort by West.
I can think of no one more qualified to bring a quantifiable voice of decorum and true American opinion to the Congressional Black Caucus than Allen West said Project 21 chairman Mychal Massie.
The CBC has historically portrayed itself as a voice for black America when they instead articulated extreme separatist and leftist ideological positions. I have no doubt that Congressman-elect West will bring fresh new perspectives that Americans of all colors need to hear Massie said.
Currently the CBC has an entirely Democrat membership. Two black Republicans were elected to the House of Representatives in this years mid-term elections. West told WOR radio:
I plan on joining the CBC and Im not gonna ask for permission or whatever. Im gonna find out when they meet and I will be a member ... I think I meet all the criteria and its so important that we break down this monolithic voice that continues to talk about victimization & dependency in the black community.
Congressman-elect Tim Scott (R-SC) the other new black Republican has not yet said if he plans to try to join the CBC.
While the CBC reportedly has not yet offered congratulations to Congressman-elect West The Hill newspaper now says that the CBC sent an unattributed e-mail to its current membership saying that the newly elected black Republicans will be welcomed.
During the campaign veteran CBC member John Lewis (D-GA) actually campaigned against West. Previously the CBC had one Republican member -- Gary Franks (R-CT) who served 1991-1997 -- but the rest of the membership at the time voted to exclude Franks from participating in Caucus policy-making. A delegate 
Melvin Evans of the U.S. Virgin Islands was a member while he served from 1979 through 1981. Another black Republican -- J.C. Watts (D-OK) who served from 1995-2003) -- chose not to join the CBC.
Project 21 fellow Deneen Borelli warned against a similar shunning of Congressmen-elect West and Scott. Borelli said:
Tragically abandoning black conservatives is nothing new for black progressive front groups. Black conservatives like myself have thus far encountered a deafening silence when we try to address our concerns to groups such as the CBC and the NAACP. As more black conservatives become vocal about their principles and values these groups ignore people like me and Congressman-elect West at their peril.
Like so many of black Americas self-professed leaders the CBC must evolve in its thinking to properly serve our community and the nation. Congressman-elect West will help put an end to the monolithic thinking so prevalent among the current Congressional Black Caucus membership on
the key issues such as school choice government regulation and health care reform said Project 21 member Kevin Martin.
As a veteran U.S. Army officer West will also bring to the Caucus a much-needed injection of the proper ethical standards which the CBC in its current form sorely needs. Too many CBC members now unfortunately face ethics trials or are being dogged by ethics questions Martin said.
Project 21 a leading voice of black conservatives since 1992 is sponsored by the National Center for Public Policy Research.
