Tea Party DIRTY TRICKS

[Segami]

Florida Duo Claiming Rights To Tea Party Name Have History Of Political Dirty Tricks


The two-man team of Florida political activists who are claiming the rights to the "Tea Party" name have been accused in the past of engaging in political trickery for profit, including allegedly pressing opposing candidates to pay for the endorsement of their candidate.


In August, Orlando lawyer Fred O'Neal registered the "Tea Party of Florida" (TPOF) as an official political party. Since then, as we reported yesterday, he and his close ally, GOP political consultant Doug Guetzloe, have asserted rights to the Tea Party name, and tried to strong-arm some local groups to drop the well-known moniker.


But some Florida Tea Party activists, already incensed that the pair is trying to claim the Tea Party name as their own -- have deeper suspicions. They fear that O'Neal and Guetzloe may try to leverage the state GOP by offering to withdraw their candidate running under the Tea Party banner -- little-known former Democrat Jorge Lovenguth -- for the U.S. Senate, a race which has made headlines lately thanks to the GOP primary battle between Governor Charlie Crist and former House Speaker Marco Rubio.


Neither O'Neal nor Guetzloe -- a veteran anti-tax activist and conservative radio host who has run unsuccessfully for the Florida Senate -- immediately responded to a request for comment on this charge. But such a plan could be particularly effective if Crist is the nominee. The governor is reviled as a moderate by Florida conservatives, meaning even a poorly-funded Tea Party candidate could draw crucial conservative votes away from the GOP. And O'Neal has said that he plans to run conservative candidates under the Tea Party banner, and also that he intends for his fledgling party to model itself on New York's Conservative Party -- whose ability to win support from right-leaning voters in state-wide races has given it influence with the state GOP.


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<http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/01/florida_duo_claiming_rights_to_tea_party_name_have_history_of_political_dirty_tricks.php?ref=fpa>

[hlthe2b]

1. Gee... done in by their own greedy corrupt members...

How tragic. :sarcasm:

[peace frog]

2. Two of Flori-DUH's leadng wingnuts

but we have plenty more to choose from - COME ON DOWN! :evilgrin: