FL Republicans Say "GTFO Tea Party"

[Acturus]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/...,3421840.story

Republican Party, tea activists sue 'fake' Tea Party
By Mark Schlueb, ORLANDO SENTINEL

1:51 PM EDT, August 11, 2010

The state Republican Party launched an attack on the Florida Tea Party on Wednesday, paying for lawsuits against several Tea candidates with the hope of ejecting them from races for a congressional seat and three state House seats.

It's the latest twist in an escalating battle that pits the Republican establishment and grass-roots tea party activists against the Florida Tea political party and the firebrand Democratic congressman from Orlando, U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson.

The Florida Tea Party, established by Windermere attorney Fred O'Neal and political consultant Doug Guetzloe, has put up candidates in races across the state. Most are Florida House races, but Florida Tea Party candidate Peg Dunmire is running against Grayson.

Some activists in the tea party movement — who oppose establishing a formal political party — allege the Florida Tea Party is bogus, and meant to draw conservative votes away from Republican candidates to give Democrats an edge. They point to ties between Grayson and Guetzloe, including political ads on Guetzloe's radio show and Grayson's appointment of Guetzloe to a small-business advisory panel.

"The Tea political party appears to be an organized effort to confuse and mislead conservative voters and is not a part of the real tea party movement," Don Hensarling, a Tampa-area tea party activist who filed the lawsuits, said in a news release.

The Republican Party thinks there's a conspiracy, too. The party has financed the lawsuits, alleging irregularities in the election paperwork of four of the Florida Tea Party's candidates: Dunmire, in Grayson's 8th Congressional District; her son Darrin Dunmire, in Florida House District 40; Dunmire's housemate, Juanita "Nina" Virone, in Florida House District 35; and the son of Tea Party chairman O'Neal, Jonathan Foley, in House District 41.

Peg Dunmire has said she paid the other Florida Tea Party candidates' filing fees. Among other things, the multiple complaints filed in Orange Circuit Court accuse the candidates of violating election law by accepting a campaign contribution — the filing fee — before opening a campaign account.

The suits ask the court to allow Hensarling and his attorneys to depose the candidates and inspect their bank records, with the hope of gathering proof so they can file an election complaint.

In a statement, Grayson said, "I once saw a dying iguana with an arrow through its skull. It was thrashing around in a way very much like the Republican Party of Florida does today. As for all these whining Tea Parties factions, or fractions of factions, as Shakespeare said in Romeo and Juliet, "a plague on both your houses.'''

Florida Tea Party executive director John Hallman said the suits are just an example of the Republican Party's dirty tricks: "The Republican Party of Florida is continuing their non-stop attacks on the Tea Party because they know that the Tea Party has become a viable political party that is successfully challenging the GOP for conservative votes in November."

I may hate Grayson, but at least his name shows up in the most interesting of ways.

[Talint]

I happen to like Alan Greyson a lot. Not necessarily because I agree with the stances, but it's nice to see someone on the left with some passion.

I will be disappointed if he's involved with this, but time will tell. FL has become quite the crazy battleground... again.

[Effluo]

ah Florida.. The only state in the Union that has its own Fark tag.

[Acturus]

I happen to like Alan Greyson a lot. Not necessarily because I agree with the stances, but it's nice to see someone on the left with some passion.

I will be disappointed if he's involved with this, but time will tell. FL has become quite the crazy battleground... again.

Grayson is doing a fabulous job of playing the game. It's all showmanship and exaggeration in politics today. I just hate that playing the game is working very well for him. I have nothing against him personally. I just don't like that he is a pretty good commentary on what's wrong with US politics today.

[Talint]

Grayson is doing a fabulous job of playing the game. It's all showmanship and exaggeration in politics today. I just hate that playing the game is working very well for him. I have nothing against him personally. I just don't like that he is a pretty good commentary on what's wrong with US politics today.

Eh... I would argue showmanship and exaggeration has been in politics since the country's founding, and even before that.

The problem is the homogenization of political parties into two massive monoliths, who highly benefit from said showmanship and exaggeration. Alan Greyson (as an example) being a confrontational ass on the floor of the house helps the DCCC as much as Greyson himself, since the narrative becomes "Hey, look, some of the democrats are finally starting to fight back".

Or, as another example, The 14th Ammendment issue has gained traction lately is due to this system. Republicans who should be nowhere near this debate (Lindsay Graham, John McCain, et.al.) are dragged towards it.

[archibaldcrane]

In a statement, Grayson said, "I once saw a dying iguana with an arrow through its skull. It was thrashing around in a way very much like the Republican Party of Florida does today. As for all these whining Tea Parties factions, or fractions of factions, as Shakespeare said in Romeo and Juliet, "a plague on both your houses.'''

That's some baller-ass politics. I like this Grayson guy.

[Olo401]

Grayson's fucking amazing. One of the very few outspoken progressives and one of the very few Dems with HUGE BALLS and NO SHAME.

[Rhinox]

Originally supported him during the whole HCR fight until he voted to re up the patriot act.

since then not a fan.

He's playing the game. He knows there is a market for loud progressives who throws bombs at the opposing party and he taking it to the bank.

Don't believe for a second though that he wouldn't be status quo.


only true liberal in congress as far as I'm concern is Dennis Kucinich. With Bernie sanders being the Liberal lion in the senate.


Did I mention he opposes any regulation that promotes Net neutrality?

[archibaldcrane]

Russ

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