Allen West, a retired Army Lt. Colonel and candidate for U.S. Congress in Florida’s 22nd district, made a trip to Kansas over the weekend in support of the “Leavenworth 10,” a group of soldiers serving time at the military prison whose families say they were unjustly convicted.

West’s own 20-year military career ended in controversy when he fired a pistol near an Iraqi man’s head to frighten him during an interrogation in 2003.

“It was very important for me to come out here based upon the experiences I had at the end of my career, to lend validity and also credibility to what they’re going through,” West says in the video, “because I’ve been there.”

More at the Palm Beach Post.