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Leon West
Screen Shot 2019-04-13 at 2.48
Occupation Journalist
Employer The Washington Post
Nicknames The Beltway Butcher
Alma mater University of Michigan

Leon West is a reporter who worked for The Washington Post and briefly served as the press secretary for Selina Meyer's 2020 presidential campaign.

Background[]

Personal[]

West has a pet cat named Redcacted. West says he actually relaxes by reading policy papers in his spare time and has gotten more than a few scoops just by thoroughly reviewing material others find too boring to read all the way through.

It's implied that West is obsessed with Amy Brookheimer.

Professional[]

Nicknamed “The Beltway Butcher” by friends and foes alike, Leon West has been one of the most influential political journalists in America for more than two decades. Formerly with the Washington Post, where he carried on that paper’s legendary investigative traditions, West was known for his dogged pursuit of big stories. His five-part series on cost overruns and poor performance by the Navy’s MN-320 “Beachcomber” Hovercraft won the Weinfeld Award for Military Reporting in 2017.

Career in journalism[]

West, a respected Washington Post writer, caused trouble for many in Vice President Selina Meyer's administration. In September 2013, West appeared at a frozen yoghurt shop, demanding that Meyer's aide Dan Egan give him a story about Meyer, coinciding with her brief tenure as Acting President following Stuart Hughes's incapacitation in South Africa.

In November 2013, West referred to Meyer as "repugnant", leading to members in the Vice President's staff fearing that the press know that Meyer is pregnant. West brought back the nickname "Meyer the Liar" in February 2015.

West covered the announcement of Meyer's 2016 presidential campaign in October 2015.

In December 2016, West investigated allegations that members of President Meyer's administration referred to her as the "c word".

2016 detainment in Iran[]

In April 2016, West was detained in Tehran, Iran. Later that month, President Meyer embarked on a 10-day world tour, making successful trips to Jordan, Egypt, and Israel. Meyer planned on ending her tour with a historic trip to Iran in an effort to secure the release of West, the first time a President has visited Iran since Jimmy Carter in 1977. However, Meyer's visit to Israel went so well that they intentionally delayed the release of West by an extra day.

West flew home to the United States aboard Air Force One on May 3, 2016. While there, he confronted Meyer about the delay in his release, threatening to talk to the press about this.

2018 Meyer diary leak[]

In August 2018, Meyer aide Mike McLintock was interviewed by West for a position at The Washington Post. After leaving, McLintock mistakenly took West's journal and inadvertently left his own diary with West. McLintock's diary extensively detailed many aspects of Meyer's presidency and vice presidency, including the Medileaks scandal, the Uzbek Hostage Crisis, and Meyer's sexual entanglement with personal trainer Ray Whelans.

West published excerpts from McLintock's diary in October 2018. Meyer was widely scrutinized for her involvement in these scandals, namely the Medileaks scandal, for which staffer Bill Ericsson was scapegoated in November 2016. West also published that the Meyer administration was responsible for the 2017 freeing of Tibet. The news of Meyer's involvement in Tibet's independence overshadowed much of the negative press Meyer was receiving.

Selina Meyer's 2020 presidential campaign[]

See also: Selina Meyer 2020 presidential campaign

The positive press Meyer received from West's Tibet leak inspired her to launch her fourth consecutive presidential campaign. Meanwhile, West continued to investigate misdoings by the Meyer team. In January 2019, he began snooping around Meyer's institutionalization at the Whispering Sands Wellness Center in Sedona, Arizona. Meyer, in an effort, to silence West, employed him in her campaign, making him Meyer's campaign press secretary, replacing Mike McLintock.

West became a top member in Meyer's inner circle. West's sophisticated writing style was sharply different from that of McLintock's, who had been a top aide of Meyer's for decades.

West's sexual obsession with Amy Brookheimer intensified during his tenure on Meyer's 2020 presidential campaign.

On April 15, 2020, West was fired while Meyer accepted the Peace Summit Award in Oslo, Norway.

Subsequent activities[]

Following his firing from Meyer's 2020 presidential campaign, West was employed by Kemi Talbot, Meyer's chief 2020 primary rival. He accompanied Talbot at the 2020 National Convention.

Appearances[]

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