For Immediate Release: Friday, March 5, 2010
To whom it may concern:
Due to misleading press reports, many Tea Party and other fellow conservative activists have misconstrued the position of the Greater Phoenix Tea Party in the area of candidate endorsements. First of all, the initial news story was written without the approval of our organization and this paper represents the position of our Board.
The facts are simple and clear. The Greater Phoenix Tea Party was formed as a 501c-4, the same as the Center for Arizona Policy, the National Tea Party Organization and other Constitutional conservative organizations. As such, we are bound by certain IRS rules and regulations, including the prohibition of endorsing candidates. We can – and will - follow the lead of many others in stating our position on issues and the position of various candidates on those same issues. That is voter education and falls within the guidelines we are required to follow.
Since the news story specifically dealt with the contest for United States Senator from Arizona, our position was presented in a manner to lead the public to believe we were opposed to one of the candidates – JD Hayworth. We are all aware of the slanted stories that pervade the Main Stream Media, and find it to be in conflict with the profession of journalism. In this case, their bias is personally offensive.
Our organization supports the sovereignty of our country and our state, supports free speech, private property rights, and opposes a larger and more intrusive government. Our members are already hard at work in the fight to restore those basic Constitutional principles to the people of Arizona. The main goal of the Greater Phoenix Tea Party is to increase the numbers of informed voters in both the Primary and General elections.
Again, as an organization we are not endorsing any candidate, however, as individuals we will continue our efforts on a daily basis to elect those who share our values. In that vein, we are and will continue to oppose candidates who have a track record in opposition to these values.
The Greater Phoenix Tea Party
Just to be clear, most are working hard for JD Hayworth who always wins the straw polls be a large margin.
Other than the amount of time spent working for Arizona, McCain and Brown have something else in common. They are both wrong for Arizona!
For a group that named itself after the original tea party folks they sure are a bunch of compliant pansies.
These tea party leaders are nothing more than a bunch of opportunists, community organizers, and hey…that’s how Obama got started!
Yes, we are very well organised as the RINO’s will discover in the primary. Quite well organized indeed with a lot of GOP PC’s in the ranks. Can you say GOTV?
If you don’t endorse good candidates, and you don’t support candidates in harmony with your professed beliefs, and you don’t raise money for candidates you believe will carry your values into public office …
Then what the H*LL good are you? Are you just a side-show distraction?
I’m voting with the Cola drinker above.
They are a 501 c so they can’t legally endorse. They can do IE’s and work for candidates and that’s what they are doing. They will also vote as a block. Just not for McCain.
Not endorsing does not mean we are not supporting candidates actively. You bet we are supporting people consistent with our beliefs. We have packed the GOP with conservative PC’s in the last year. We own Maricopa County and conservatives have made huge inroads in the rest of the county GOP committees. Guess who is going to have GOTV done for them? It isn’t McRINO or any of his buds! We have the grassroots feet on the ground, we have the GOP PC’s, we have the organziation to move the primary. It’s a numbers game and we have them. It’s that simple.
If you are supporting candidates consistent with your beliefs, I hope your chosen candidates are solid on the issues as well.
The siren song of “Constitution Salvation” can be a false flag for an ambitious candidate with no background and no experience and no integrity.
A candidate ripe for picking by the lobbyists and special interests once he or she gets elected and learns there’s a whole new world out there.
There is so much more than “save the Constitution” and “lower my taxes” which are favorite themes of people out selling you a product.
It sounds like you have an awesome power, I hope you know how to use it.