Michigan Tea Party Alliance Press Page
ed.
note:
Nationally and in the states the Tea Party has sought to avoid the
third party route. In Michigan an effort to establish
"The Tea Party" as a new political party with candidates on the ballot
in November led to charges of dirty
tricks. Mark E. Steffek, a retired UAW shop steward from Reese,
chaired the group which submitted 59,400 signatures to the Secretary of
State's office on July 14,
2010. (The requirement for establishing a “new
political party” was to file a petition containing at least 38,013
valid signatures (1% of votes cast for Governor) no later than 4:00
p.m. on July 15, 2010). On
July 26 the Tea Party of Michigan submitted 23 Tea Party
nominated candidates to the Secretary of State, two of whom were later
removed because they were too young. Some of these were in close
races such as the 7th congressional district held by freshman Rep. Mark
Schauer (D). The Michigan Tea
Party
Alliance cried foul as did the Michigan Republican Party. Media
accounts also raised doubts about the "mysterious" Tea Party, and there
was a lot of discussion about the "phony" Tea Party being "a front,"
although
Steffek maintained it was legitimate.
PRESS RELEASE from Michigan Tea Party Alliance
July ?, 2010
Contact Info:
Gene Clem
email: gene.clem@gmail.com
Ph: 269-716-3784
Michigan Tea Party Is Not A Political Party
A group of people has filed a petition in the Michigan Secretary of
State office to place “The Tea Party” on the statewide ballot in
November of this year for the general election. The membership of
the Michigan Tea Party Alliance has warned of this possibility in a
press release in January when we first suspected that such an event
could take place. We also sent out a notice on May 17th when we
found out that the petition had just started circulating.
Obviously we cannot reach everyone we want in order to inform them that
this “Tea Party” is not a part of the Michigan Tea Party Alliance
(MTPA) and that there are no known Tea Party organizations in the
nation who think that forming another political party is a good
idea. In fact we have all agreed that it would be much more
effective to reform the existing two major political parties instead of
starting a new one from nothing.
The MTPA fears that voters who are not aware of everything that is
happening in the political sphere of the state on a daily basis will
see the “Tea Party” on the ballot and vote for those candidates who are
not truly vested in the conservative ideals the label typically
represents. We suspect that the purpose of this filing to place
“The Tea Party” on the ballot is to cause that confusion and draw
enough votes from, most likely, the Republican Party candidates to
throw an election to the Democrat candidate. We do know that
hired petition gathers were instructed to tell prospects that they were
collecting signatures on behalf of whatever local group there was (such
as the Southwest Michigan Tea Party Patriots when they were in
Allegan). Those statements were untrue and were used to trick
well-meaning citizens into supporting something that they otherwise
would not have. We, the members of the MTPA, are looking into any
legal remedies that we may have to prevent this group from presenting a
slate of candidates on the ballot in November.
The leadership of the undersigned organizations encourages all citizens
to get involved in the political process, and to reshape the political
parties into something in which they may once again take pride. We
encourage people to look for candidates that will protect and defend
the constitution, and we urge voters to ignore the “Tea Party” on the
ballot.
The founders knew that it would be our sacred obligation as citizens to
get involved, and to work hard to hold on to this great nation. We have
much work to do, and future generations will look back in judgment. We
hope you will join us in preserving the republic so that those future
generations will look back upon us with pride, just as we do those who
met in the summer of 1787 and gave us the Constitution of the United
States of America and our republic.
Gene Clem, Spokesman for:
The Michigan Tea Party Alliance:
SW Michigan Tea Party
Patriots
Ludington
Tea
Party
Oscoda
9/12
Rattle With
Us
Lapeer
County
Tea Party
Patriots
Lakes
Area
Tea Party
Tea Party of West
Michigan
Port
Huron
Tea
Party
Genesee
Tea
Party
SE Michigan 9/12
Project
Traverse
Bay
9/12
Project
Brighton
Tea
Party
Metro Detroit Freedom
Coalition We
The
People
of Mid
Michigan
Tri-City
9/12
Berrien County Tea
Party
Western
Thumb
Tea Party
Group
Mecosta
County
Tea Party
Tea Party Patriots of West
Oakland
Allegan
Tea
Party
Manistee
Area
Tea Party
Cass County Tea
Party
Calhoun
County
Tea
Party
Newaygo
County
Tea Party
ReTakeOurGov Tea
Party
Blue
Water
Area
Patriots
Holland-Zeeland
Patriots
Muskegon
Patriots
Lenawee
9/12
Project
Grassroots
in
Michigan
Romeo Area Tea
Party
Benzie
County
Patriots
Montcclm
Tea
Party
Re-Issued 5-17-2010
Jan 2010
Press Release: Michigan Tea Party Is Not A Political Party
There has been much talk of the formation of a third political party
based on the tea party movement. The organizations listed below are
issuing this statement in order to make it clear that we are not
associated with any attempts to form a third party in the State of
Michigan. Additionally, we believe that such efforts are unproductive
and unwise at this time. The history of third party movements in this
country is one of division and defeat. We believe that it is instead
time for all Americans to rise up and demand appropriate reform within
the existing political structures. The mechanisms exist for citizens to
participate in their parties, and to drive their parties in the right
direction.
The leadership of the undersigned organizations encourages all citizens
to get involved in the political process, and to reshape the political
parties into something in which they may once again take pride. We
encourage people to look for candidates that will protect and defend
the constitution.
The founders knew that it would be our sacred obligation as citizens to
get involved, and to work hard to hold on to this great nation. We have
much work to do, and future generations will look back in judgment. We
hope you will join us in preserving the republic so that those future
generations will look back upon us with pride, just as we do those who
met in the summer of 1787 and gave us the Constitution of the United
States of America and our republic.
The Michigan Tea Party Alliance
PRESS
RELEASES
from
Michigan Republican Party
Democrats Dirty Ploy
July 27, 2010
Michigan Republican Party Chairman Ron Weiser issued the following
statement in reaction to the “Tea Party” candidates:
“As if the dirty ploy by the Democrats wasn’t already obvious, the
‘tea party’ slate of candidates is a mockery to the values of the real
Tea Party movement. Michigan Democrat leaders are perpetuating a fraud
that seeks to compromise the integrity of our electoral process.
“An overwhelming number of these so-called candidates have direct
ties to Democrat organizations or Democrat-professed associations. It
is clear these people do not think much of Michigan voters as they
don’t even care to hide their deception.
“It’s a disgrace that Michigan Democrats are willing to stoop so low
to win an election out of desperation. They know they are responsible
for this economic mess and they know Republicans are the only ones who
can Fix Michigan.”
Tea
Party Ballot trick statement
July 14, 2010
Michigan Republican Party Chairman Ron Weiser issued the following
statement on the Tea Party ballot trick:
“In a Hail Mary-style last ditch effort, desperate stooges of the
Democrat Party have attempted to confuse Michigan voters by hijacking
the name of the Tea Party movement. Make no mistake; these
tax-and-spend liberal actors are not the real deal. Every true Tea
Party organization has disavowed this effort and identified it for what
it is: base political maneuvering.
“While the Michigan Democrats try to play games by confusing voters
and shifting attention away from their record of failure, the Michigan
Republican Party has been and continues to be committed to working with
true Tea Party activists and other concerned families across our state
to elect leaders who will bring about the real reforms we need to rein
in out of control spending, reduce our bloated government and Fix
Michigan.”