The National Journal recently checked in with former Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., to see what he’s been up to since leaving Congress in January. Turns out, he’s been up to a lot, with West taking on television, book-writing and fundraising. Here’s some of the most interesting tidbits gleaned from the piece:
5.) A fan recently gifted him a samurai sword. West really liked it. “If a guy is going to give another guy a gift, this is cool,” West told the National Journal. “I don’t want a guy coming in and giving me cologne or some kind of basket.”
4.) West calls his Capitol Hill apartment, which he kept even after losing re-election, “the bat cave.” And despite no longer being a Member of Congress, he breezes through Capitol Hill security. “They know me here,” he said. He also uses the “members only” elevator, even if another elevator comes first.
3.) He has a fluency in ‘90s pop culture references. West is currently working on an array of projects including a book and an online-only television program with video journalist Michelle Fields. When National Journal reporters asked West what he’s working toward, this was his response: “I’m not trying to take over the country. I’m not, what’s that cartoon show, ‘Pinky and the Brain?’ I’m not trying to take over the universe.”
2.) When talking about a potential presidential bid, he brings up Abraham Lincoln. “Always remember,” West said during an NPR interview, “Abraham Lincoln only served one term in Congress, too.”
1.) There’s a Post-it Note stuck to his computer that reminds him that his password is “allenwest.”
