Steve West's children say voters should not elect their father, report says

In comments published Tuesday, Emily and Andy West condemned their father's ideology, described by Andy as "pure hate … totally crazy."

Emily West told the newspaper that her father "made many racist and homophobic comments and that he did not like the Jews".

The comments of the brothers and sisters come after a Star August report on the history of the West "of bigotry, including homophobia, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and racism outright". The report included the condemnation of West's comments by the Missouri Republican Party and disturbing statements by a spokesman for the Anti-Defamation League.

The paper documented the comments West had made as a conservative radio broadcaster, including a quote in which he reportedly said: "Hitler was right about what was happening in Germany. was behind that. "

In a telephone interview Wednesday, West told USA TODAY in a telephone interview on Wednesday that he was not anti-Semitic and claimed that some of his previous comments had been taken out of context.

He detailed many complaints with Israel and the Jewish people, saying that it was political disagreements unrelated to race. He also formulated a harsh criticism of the role of Islam in Middle East politics.

October 31st: After Pittsburgh, a synagogue in Southern California vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti

October 31st: 2018 mid-term elections: here are the candidates ready to write the story on November 6

During the interview, West particularly criticized the Israeli "law of return", a law that automatically grants Israeli citizenship to those who meet the definition of the Jewish nation.

Citing this law, West declared that the Jewish people had an "ideology that follows their race, their loyalty is not to America."

West said that he had renounced antisemitic violence and called last week the attack on the Pittsburgh Synagogue that killed 11 people "deplorable" and "inexcusable".

In the comments to the StarAndy West said his father was not a violent man but that he shared the "same purpose" as those who commit anti-Semitic violence: "This goal is the withdrawal of the Jews from America. And certainly, if someone who is already unstable receives the kind of message that he is preaching, it's totally wrong. "

West told USA TODAY that the children, who, he said, were in their mid-twenties, were caught in a "very toxic divorce." His website on the campaign says that he has an adopted daughter and two married children.

"They are children" who are easily influenced by culture and social media, he said.

Contributor: Adrienne Sanders and Lee Higgins, The Westchester County, N.Y. Journal News

Read or share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/10/31/steve-wests-children-say-voters-shouldnt-elect-dad-report-says/184228400002/