Florida's frothy tea party movement has stirred in another volatile ingredient: the Tea Party Foundation.

The new electioneering communication organization, listing Abby Dupree of Tallahassee as its agent, registered with the state Division of Elections last month.

Phil Russo, an Orlando-based "consultant" for the fledgling ECO, said the group's primary goal is to "educate people on the differences between the grass-roots tea party movement and the political party, which is run by former GOP consultants to split the vote and hand elections to Democrats."

Russo's reference to the Florida TEA ("Taxed Enough Already") Party -- headed by two other Orlando area politicos, Frederic O'Neal and Doug Guetzloe -- drew an equally sharp response.

"(The Foundation) is obviously an attempt to end-run the TEA Party and pretend like this GOP front is a real tea party group," Guetzloe said.

Russo says that characterization does not apply to him or the Foundation.

"The media narrative suggests that the tea parties are shills for the Republicans. I'm not a registered Republican. I hate Republicans. I'm a Libertarian," he said, noting his support for gay marriage, legalization of marijuana and opposition to the Patriot Act.

But before raising or spending a dime on electioneering, the Foundation is sending mixed signals about its independence from the Republican Party.

Dupree, listed as the group's original registered agent and treasurer, is also treasurer of Republican Sen. George LeMieux's Protect America's Future PAC, which funnels funds to GOP candidates.

Dupree also was the contact for the "Jim Greer for Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida" campaign committee.

The official purpose of that committee, established in November 2006, was "to provide support related to the cost of running for the Republican Party of Florida's chairman position." It raised and spent $339,780, doing so before it disbanded with Greer's ouster in 2009.

Russo said he did not know of Dupree's involvement in the Greer organization.

"If I had known, I would never have called her," he said.

Dupree declined to be interviewed and referred all questions to Russo.

Russo said the Foundation, which is recruiting a new treasurer, will focus on "state-level campaigns in Central Florida." He would not identify which races on the record.

"We want to leverage legislation on an Arizona-style immigration law, conceal-carry and open-carry (gun) laws, and a state budget that actually decreases spending," he said.

As for the libertarian agenda of gay marriage and legalized pot? "We're not there yet," Russo acknowledged.

Despite his "hate" for Republicans, Russo told Sunshine State News that he is working on Republican Todd Long's campaign in the 8th Congressional District.

That race features seven GOP hopefuls and TEA Party candidate Peg Dunmire vying to unseat first-term Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando.

Russo said that he would vote for Dunmire in the fall if Daniel Webster or Bruce O'Donoghue -- two of the Republicans in the race -- were to win the GOP nomination.

But in other Central Florida races, Russo suggested that the Tea Party Foundation will oppose TEA candidates who could jeopardize Republicans' chances.

"It doesn't matter if (the TEA candidates) are perfectly in line with issues, because of who they're involved with," Russo said. "It's like hanging out with Rev. (Jeremiah) Wright."

Citing his tea bona fides, Russo said, "I was one of the founding members of the tea party movement nationally, and the decision was made early on not to form a third party. Doug Guetzloe just wants a payday."