Politics
138 Tea Leaders Take Party Inside Capitol
Activists to conduct day-long 'Legislative Summit' with state officials
Around the State
Tea party activists rally in support of Gov. Rick Scott 3-8-11 in Tallahassee | Credit: Lane WrightIn the wake of Tuesday's tea rally outside the old Capitol, 138 tea party leaders will set up shop in the Knott Building, where they will hear from Senate President Mike Haridopolos, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and others.
The day-long Legislative Summit is sponsored by the Tea Party Network, a coalition of 58 tea groups from throughout Florida. Meetings are scheduled to run from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., said network chairwoman Patricia Sullivan.
“Tea party leaders have a lot on their minds, from the septic tank law to teacher merit pay and SunRail to the budget, and this is a perfect opportunity to be engaged in the process,” said Sullivan, who founded the North Lake Tea Party and hosted Gov. Rick Scott's budget rollout in Eustis last month.
A representative from the governor's office will participate in Thursday's meetings. Other speakers will include Sens. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville; and Greg Evers, R-Crestview; as well as Reps. Doug Broxson, R-Milton, and Clay Ford, R-Pensacola.
Unrelated to the Legislative Summit, tea activist Everett Wilkinson has scheduled a noon rally on the old Capitol grounds -- where some 700 other tea partiers converged Tuesday.
Wilkinson, who heads the South Florida Tea Party, is a controversial figure in the movement. He accompanied Bill McCollum's filing for the GOP gubernatorial campaign and later heckled Scott at a tea party rally outside the South Florida Water Management District offices in West Palm Beach.
Wilkinson also sued the Florida TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party over alleged misuse of the "tea" brand. The suit stalled when his attorneys quit the case.
"He doesn't work well with others," observed Marianne Moran, founder of the independent Tea Party in Action, and a former co-worker.
Though Wilkinson's StandWithFlorida.com rally website lists several of the same officials scheduled for the Tea Party Network meetings, Sunshine State News could only verify that Atwater would be at the noon event as well. Wilkinson did not return messages.
Sullivan said she will not be attending, noting that the Legislative Summit meetings include a "working lunch."
Sullivan also disclosed that the Tea Party Network previously voted not to admit Wilkinson as a member of the statewide organization.
"We want to keep the organization positive and moving forward," she said.
--
Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341.
Comments (13)
With Patricia Sullivan, it's always about her.
Sullivan, I do not know personally but here her sentiments are exactly what they should be and that is for the success of the tea party movement in a positive light. (which is what EW hired me to facilitate for SFTP and FTP)
IMO: The bulk of the problems with EW is he is just not compliant with the three core principles of the Tea Party Patriots, nor does he behave like a conservative in any form. Does that make him a phony? Rather than to espouse for civility, transparency, accountability, etc.....he simply does not practice them. What he does practice is being "Tea Party Tsar," a self described proclamation known only to himself but the rath of which most other tea party activists have witnessed to one degree or another. "Tea Party Tsar" by its name alone implies the true naricisstic Everett agenda - TO OWN THE TEA PARTY and claim dominion over the members, in Florida anyways. He aspires and acts like a Tsar......dictatorial regardless of reality, dose he not? The Tea Party movement is grassroots, but for Everett its a strategy of divide, destroy and conquer. Its a turf war with him, will you let him claim yours - your grassroots? Me, no. Unfortunately TPP seems married to him under some sticky prenup that continues to edifying him with "Florida State Coordinator." That I regret is to the TPP, and, the movements detriment, and the utter disappointment of many a real patriot. When will a FLORIDA Tea Party leader step up to the plate and retake the Tea Party movement from him?
Answer: He continues to stab people in the back.