Politics

Florida TEA Party Fight Boiling Over

Different flavors of 'tea' movement will be tested in federal court Wednesday
By: Kenric Ward | Posted: June 22, 2010 4:05 AM
tea party vs TEA party 2

The TEA Party of Florida squares off against 33 local tea parties and individual Floridians in federal district court in West Palm Beach Wednesday.

The TEA Party, which was sued by rival tea organizations for co-opting the name, seeks dismissal of the lawsuit.

"We're optimistic that the judge has figured out it's a bogus lawsuit," said TEA Party Chairman Frederic O'Neal, an Orlando attorney.

On the other side, TEA opponents say the party is nothing more than a personal political scheme hatched by former Republican operative Doug Guetzloe to sabotage the real tea movement and wreak havoc on the GOP.

"Florida's (other) tea party leaders knew since December this was Guetzloe's gambit and we warned Florida GOP leaders months ago," said Mike Caputo, a South Florida-based Republican consultant.


Comments (4)

JD
6:31AM JUN 25TH 2010
I live in Apopka and am going to vote for Bryan Nelson who is running for re-election against a Tea Party candidate. However, the Republican Party of Florida needs to quit "whining". I know Doug Gueztloe and he is tired of Republicans voting for special interest projects that will not serve the average taxpayer.

Mr. Thrasher, the head of the Republican Party of Florida needs to get a life and quit crying about others who desire to run for public office.

JD in Apopka, registered Independent voter
Heinie
6:57AM SEP 10TH 2010
JD--I am the TEA Party candidate running against Mr. Nelson. I would really appreciate an opportunity to speak with you.

Phone: (407) 442-9522
Email: Heinie@Heinie2010.com
Mail: PO Box 607633, Orlando FL 32860-7633
Website: www.Heinie2010.com
Todd C
7:24AM JUN 22ND 2010
I have not trusted the Florida Tea Party from the beginning. It seemed as though Doug Guetzloe and his other organizers were trying to take advantage of a grassroots free movement which expressed the opinions of the masses reguardless of party and tried to organize it into a political party. We do not need another party. We need the two primary parties to get in touch with the people. Republicans need to stop acting like Democrats and Democrats need to stop acting like socialistic progressives.

Tea Party Organizers like Patricia Sullivan, who is the Co-Founder of the North Lake Tea Party in Eustis, are mobilizing an army of voters who are making a difference in the 2010 November elections. Patricia is a candidate for Fl-Congressional District 8 against Alan Grayson. She is the ONLY candidate to be on the Florida ballot by petition by certifying more than 5,000 signatures.

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