Michigan Tea Party has links to some Democrats

[Octafish]

Source: The Detroit Free Press

Probe finds organizers, candidates have close ties; official involvement denied

BY JOHN WISELY, DAWSON BELL and KATHLEEN GRAY
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS
Posted: Sept. 3, 2010

Despite blanket denials from top Michigan Democratic Party officials, the elusive group that wants to call itself the Tea Party on the November ballot has been linked repeatedly to Democrats since it emerged in May, a Free Press investigation shows.

From the group hired to collect signatures, to party activists who found candidates and the candidates themselves, the Michigan Tea Party has many ties to Democrats.

Michigan tea party activists, who joined in opposition to Democratic initiatives, call it the Fake Tea Party -- aimed at confusing voters and draining conservative support from Republicans in close races.

The Free Press found:

• Mike McGuinness, the recently resigned chairman of the Oakland County Democratic Party, who had denied any role in the Tea Party controversy, recruited his former stepmother to run for state representative.
• Jason Bauer, 30, of Waterford, former operations director for the Oakland Democrats and McGuinness' roommate, notarized petitions for at least four affidavits to run for office for people who now -- directly or through a relative -- say they didn't sign the affidavits. Overall, he notarized 12 of 23 Tea Party candidate affidavits.
• State Senate candidate Frantt Whitehill of Midland, who insists he's a real tea partyer, is a Democratic donor who ran for precinct delegate as a Democrat in August.
• Three Tea Party candidates recently gave money to Democrats.

Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20100903/NEWS01/9030387/1319/Michigan-Tea-Party-has-links-to-some-Democrats

[T Wolf]

1. Politics is not a non-contact sport. Therefore, I have no problem with this tactic.

IF both parties would not do it, that would, of course, be better. But as long as one side does this, the other would be stupid not to.

BTW - my mother-in-law would make a genuine Klanbagger candidate. There would be no deception if she would run for office as one. Or my Stormfront father-in-law.

[ixion]

2. It is "non-contact" only for the chosen elite... for the rest of us

it's an ongoing nightmare that gets VERY physical.

[opihimoimoi]

3. Hey,,,,ya fuckin up,,, its our covert peeps ...ya pulling a Cheney

[meowomon]

4. OMG This is so Rovian!

I love it. But, I'm torn because they're acting like rethuglicans. yikes

[Ian David]

9. Really, isn't this why we lose? Because we don't do what KKKarl Rove does?

[madmom]

5. I thought the teabaggers said this wasn't about..

being republican or democratic, it was about the "little people". So what's the big deal?:shrug:

[Ian David]

10. I'd had that same thought. n/t

[MidwestTransplant]

6. Didn't the Teabaggers always brag that Democrats are Teabaggers too.

[glinda]

7. Is this any different than Repubs running as Independents for the most part?

[EC]

8. I thought the Tea Party said they WERE DEMOCRATS &

repubs? So what's the problem? Shouldn't they except candidates into the tea party since they claim to have both?

[bemildred]

11. Well duh? Politics is dishonest, and violent, and corrupt. nt

[Downwinder]

12. Some people like their tea with ice, some like it hot. n/t

[Psephos]

13. A conspiracy to deceive voters for political advantage is not progressive.

That's what cheaters and charlatans do. There's a reason that cheaters and charlatans are universally despised.