Dear Readers: I normally don’t discuss the behind-the-scenes world of Tea Party organizing, but an email I received yesterday attacking an American I admire greatly compels me to respond.
I don’t often write about organizations besides the Southern California Tax Revolt Coalition (SoCal-TRC) or Tea Party Patriots (TPP). Both of these organizations are NOT Political Action Committees (PACs) and take no donations from political parties. Both groups are issue focused, and tend not to promote specific candidates (preferring to leave that activity to local groups who know the individuals running in particular races), Other national Tea Party organizations are structured differently; frankly, as long as they are upfront with what they do and where donations go, I say the more the merrier.
Yet, not all Tea Party public figures seem content to let others contribute to the success of the movement and be acknowledged fairly for their herculean efforts. Some so-called “leaders” smear people who have sacrificed and given their all to promote real grassroots activism. For example, former Tea Party Express spokesman, Mark Williams, has recently targeted SoCal-TRC President Dawn Wildman and TPP National Coordinator Mark Meckler in vile rants. Many will recall that Williams resigned after the publication of a ill-conceived and poorly executed satire piece. I would like my readers to be fully informed regarding these situations, as I have had the pleasure of working with Wildman and Meckler closely in various events. Both are genuine heroes who have achieved enormous success promoting US Constitutional ideas, limited government, fiscal responsibility, and free market practices in California and across the country – with well over 2000 local citizen action groups as participating members.
My friend, Dawn, was called the “head of the Taliban Tea Party” by Williams when he guest hosted for Roger Hedgecock recently. Such an insult was baseless, repugnant, and ludicrous. When I heard this, it reminded me of something my dad would say when he was on one of his nasty, drunk rampages. And like my dad’s toxic tirades, it was just as evil and unneeded.
Dawn Wildman: Energetic and passionate citizen activist.
I have worked closely with Dawn since the inception of the Tea Party movement in February of 2009. I can tell you that Dawn takes the time to consider all points of view in a discussion related to Tea Party activities, and she has the experience to make the best decision under a given set of circumstances. She supplies enormous passion into her citizen activism efforts, and effectively promote causes that help California and the country. Instead of unfairly belittling her, Williams would have been far wiser to use Hedgecock’s golden microphone to promote and enhance the Tea Party messages shared by all nationwide groups.
This past week, there has been a snafu with the Tea Party Patriots organizer mail list. While this problem is still being sorted out, my info was directed to Mark Williams’ email list. Voila! I got one of his personal rants delivered into my inbox. In the interest of fairness, I decided to share it with other citizen activists – and counter various distortions and prevarications with a strong dose of reality.
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MARK WILLIAMS’ EMAIL RANT:
Is taking the time and creative energy to demean fellow Americans a wise use of Tea Party talent?
There is an epic battle unfolding out of sight, and it is a good thing because a too high public profile would likely tear apart the Tea Party Movement. A small, selfish, self-interested cabal led by Mark Meckler is selling the Tea Party Patriots to a mystery “donor”. Under Mark Meckler the TPP has been grassroots only in the sense that the hard working and sincere patriots who ARE the TPP have labored and paid out of their own pockets to create a movement, while Mr. Meckler and his subordinate partner Jenny Beth Martin have enjoyed the Capitol Hill cocktail scene, schmoozed and gotten cozy with politicians of both sides of the Democrat-Republican establishment aligned against We the People. Along the way each of them have suddenly found that their formerly daunting personal financial issues have magically evaporated!
And big time were those woes. Mark had one failed business attempt after another and was a self-employed “Internet” lawyer facing having to move his entire family in with his parents (not good for a 40-something guy with wife, kids and an upscale McGeorge University education) when he stumbled on the first event in Sacramento, organized by Free Republic .com and emceed by Mark Williams. Nationally, Amy Kremer was coordinating dozens of events around the nation from her home in Atlanta. That is where bankrupt Jenny Beth Martin facing both a Chapter 7 and owing the IRS and State of Georgia in excess of 1/2 million dollars and no way to pay it off was brought into the movement by her then friend Amy Kremer.
Both Meckler and Martin were at first I believe only seeking to survive financially, we all were/are. Then the intoxicating aroma of being feted and toasted on Capitol Hill set in and they went native to the DC crowd. Now they claim immunity from question by their own members. It did not take long for Mark Meckler to join the Beltway crowd in using Obama like tactics against Tea Party in general now he is turning his guns on the Tea Party Patriots themselves!
Why should we not Demand the same transparency and openness from Mark Meckler that we are demanding from our government?! Isn’t closed door good ole boy politics EXACTLY what we are fighting … Who is the donor? For what purpose does “he” want the TPP? Why does Mark Meckler dodge all questions? Why are chapter leaders who ask attacked?
Lots of questions but no answers.
Follow the Tea Party Civil War here: http://www.marktalk.com/blog/?cat=3415
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The claim that there is a “Tea Party” civil war are utterly laughable! While Williams may desire one to achieve some sort of radio talk show relevancy, real citizen activists are focused on the Nov. 2nd election and the numerous Tea Party events (like the 10-10-10 rally at the Oceanside Amphitheater that is being co-hosted by several Tea Party groups quite happy to team up with eachother).
Meckler is not taking TPP “private”. The donor, for reasons known only to the donor and a couple of key people who set up the donation, wish to be anonymous. Anonymous donations happen regularly – and it is quite a stretch of imagination to assume something nefarious about a donation that:
• Goes directly to citizen groups.
• Must be used to promote issues and not candidates.
• Must be distributed via a system of grants, in which the reasons the money is needed and the items required listed and priced.
• Must be used to achieve as much Tea Party success as possible by Nov. 2nd, the end date of the donation.
As a Democrat who has been following the Delaware Senate race closely, rooting for Christine O’Donnell, I find it fascinating that Williams has attacked Meckler on the issue of his Meckler’s personal finances – trying to paint Meckler as being “on the take”. Cocktail Party Republicans of the GOP establishment, all of whom supported Castle, also used stories of past personal finance challenges against O’Donnell. I think Williams’ misguided attack on Meckler reeks of establishment Republican thuggery – and Williams is the elite Beltway figure who has merely projected his own flaws onto a real American activist.
I am also highly suspicious that Williams has not completely lost all ties to the GOP-establishment connected Tea Party Express. TPE is spear-headed by Sal Russo – a strategist involved for decades with the establishment Republicans who are as troublesome as the Democrats in the elite Washington DC Cocktail Party corridor. I suspect that Beltway-establishment-based TPE would like TPP, a real grassroots organization representing the “Country Class,” to disappear. Hence, the attempts to undermine key TPP coordinators. Williams could be trying to force a “Tea Party Civil War” so that a more establishment-supporting team can hold sway.
This simply won’t work. Tea Party Patriot groups across the country are solely focused on achieving as much conservative success as possible in the Nov. 2nd election.
Mark Mecker: One of the few, good lawyers!
Addressing Meckler’s current state of finances: I am really not surprised that an Internet Lawyer is achieving a high degree of success in the Internet age, especially with new Internet developments on the horizon. I see no grand conspiracy.
I am not as familiar with Jenny Beth Martin. Martin has been kind enough to send me a complimentary email note on occasion. However, I can only assume the allegations Williams makes against her are as false as those against Wildman and Meckler. Actually, I hope to meet Martin one day, so I can thank her personally for her grace and energy in getting millions of Americans interested in participating in basic civics.
CLICK PICTURE: Martin on Glenn Beck's Tea Party Round Table Talk!
Reviewing Williams’ email note, I also wanted to note that there were actually a lot of people hosting/emceeing and otherwise involved with the first Tea Parties in February 2009. Interestingly, I had the pleasure of talking with Anne Hayes, one of the Northern California Tea Party Patriots, when I was speaking at the Sacramento Recycle Government Tea Party last month. She was also at the February 2009 event in Sacramento, where she met Meckler. Hayes has since gone onto be a key coordinator with Smart Girl Politics. Hayes recalled the day she and Meckler were standing out on the street, holding signs, and not ever imaging of going onto speak at an event attended by 5,000 engaged and informed citizens. Both she and Meckler have continued their service to their country in their own way, out of patriotism and civic interest.
So, Mark Williams – does Hayes owe her new success to you, too? Do both she and Meckler have to grovel at the altar of your corrosive punditry just because you managed to emcee one of the early Tea Parties? I think not.
Now, let me share my views of Amy Kremer, coordinator of the TPE who Williams mentions in his email. I was listening to Sean Hannity’s Radio Show during February 2009, as the first Tea Party rallies were being set up. Kremer called in – saying she was the “Tea Party Go To Girl”. Frankly, I was appalled at the hubris, as there were a lot of “go to” men and women organizing rallies in February 2009. It was quite obvious to me she was trying to be the “Face of the Tea Party” – which is counter to the way it has since developed, and is also counter to the way the establishment players like Williams would want. I would also like to note that TPE and Kremer were NOT initially included in a Glenn Beck roundtable of representatives from national-level Tea Party groups. After much aggressive negotiation by Kremer and TPE, Kremer as permitted to call in – at which time Beck berated TPE for Williams’ actions and presence in the group.
Reviewing Williams’ email, I also presume Williams is jealous of Meckler, who seems to be the biggest target in these tirades. Meckler is a real patriot, a kind family man, and one of the people I admire most in Tea Party activism. Mecker inspires, it seems Williams can only rant. Based on the internal email dialog that I am privy to, the only person Williams’ undermined in this effort was himself.
And, as if all of the above were NOT appalling enough…I learned Williams published Meckler’s home address on his internet site. Such a blatant act of harassment of a fellow citizen is simply disgusting — and as spineless and heartless as when leftists do it. I think that if you admire TPP’s efforts and support of limited government, fiscal sensibility, and free markets, Wildman, Mecker and Martin would really appreciate a few kind words of thanks and encouragement.
Dawn Wildman: dawn.wildman@socaltaxrevoltcoalition.org
Mark Meckler: mark@teapartypatriots.org
Jenny Beth Martin: jennybeth@gmail.com
I would strongly suggest that people who try to tear down fellow Tea Party organizers take that energy and direct to our opponents – that is where it serves us all better.
Very lovely post. Lots of information – thanks for sharing.
Is the Tea Party some kind of newcommer party? I mean, I only heard of Democrats and Republicans? What’s up with the Tea Party? Is that a nickname for one if the two I just mentioned?
Now, I’m not from the US
Best Regards
Micheal Ken
@Michael Ken – The Tea Party is a movement by the average American citizen to challenge the politicians in office of both parties to be more responsible, accountable and responsive to the people of this country.
It is not a new political party of any kind. It is made of several groups calling themselves “Tea Party” based on a stand that our founders took with the British King in the mid 1700′s.
Tea stands for Taxed Enough Already. The Tea Party Patriots is the largest, grassroots organizations. The Tea Party Express is another group but is a shill group from the Republican party trying to ride on the tidal wave of the grassroots movement.
Unfortunately, citizens of this country are just as confused about who the Tea Parties are because the media lumps them all together using on the “Tea Party” label for everyone.
It’s like lumping all Christians under the label of “Catholic”. There are many more denominations that acknowledge being Christian while not being “Catholic”.
I hope this explanation helps.
To Micheal Ken,
The Tea Party movement has taken its name from an historical event which occurred on December 16, 1773 in Boston, Massachusetts. It was termed “The Boston Tea Party” and was the colonists way of showing defiance to the King for levying a tax on tea.
At that time America was still under British rule and the British Parliament had just enacted the “Tea Act” which was an attempt to expand the British East India Company’s monopoly on the tea trade to all British Colonies. The problem was, they attempted to force the Colonists who were already fed up with the King’s totalitarian rule, to pay another tax at a time when the Colonists were being taxed to death.
In New York and Philadelphia, the Colonists set the British ships with the tea still on board back to England. In Charlestown, Massachusetts, the Colonists left the tea on the docks to rot.
The Boston Tea party was the culmination of the resistance movement which had been growing throughout the colonies. The ongoing dispute was about the validity of Parliament’s authority over the Americans without the American colonists having any elected representatives seated there (in Parliament) . The Tea Act was simply the last straw that broke the camel’s back as it were.
The chant went out. “No taxation without representation” and it became the rallying cry of the resistance.
On the evening of December 16, 1773 a group of men who sometimes referred to themselves as the “Sons of Liberty” disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians and boarded the three British ships. Over the course of three hours they dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor.
Sons of Liberty leader, Samuel Adams defended the action, arguing that it was not the act of an angry, lawless mob, but rather, it was an act of principled protest.
The Boston Tea Party was a key event in the growth of the American Revolution and today, many of us Tea Party members see ourselves as members of the Second American Revolution in which we too are demanding that there be no more taxation without representation, that an all-intrusive and increasingly totalitarian government cease and desist its destructive spending, reduce itself in size, obey the laws of our Constitution and get the hell out of our lives!
That’s it. That’s the story in a tea cup. ; )
We were there at the very first TP in Sacramento. My sister and I rented a bus from Stockton. I was in constant contact with Patty Meckler getting information from her as to the where, when and how’s. Mark and Patty have been to MANY of our local TP’s. They have worked extremely hard and sacrificed much of their private lives for this cause. Mark Williams is grasping for attention…..ever since he was taken off of KFBK 1530 AM.
As an early Tea Party Patriot member who displays their yard sign, stickers and actively participates online plus locally, I have had a very personal experience with the TPP leaders that cinched my loyalty to them.
In one of the TPP methods to generate funding, the TPP leaders set up a means for 300 TPP donors to receive special treatment for donating $1,000 to the TPP. For this they would receive special seating and access to a TPP event in Washington D.C.
I fired off an e-mail to the leadership regarding this special treatment, questioning their motivation. I was SHOCKED to receive e-mails in reply from JennyBeth, Mark, Dawn and others in the leadership, responding directly to my concerns.
They gave the reasoning behind this form of solicitation and assured me that TPP members who volunteered their time, talents and efforts to put on the D.C. event would be treated just like these donors. Volunteer efforts were just as valuable as cash to these leaders.
They didn’t know me from anyone else in the TPP membership who is a local member. They worked diligently to answer follow up questions as well. I received a series messages during these communications as if I were SOMEONE in the TPP.
A couple, who are friend of mine, are actively involved in the D.C. events, too. They were contacted to volunteer in the above even in D.C. She is a retired nurse and he is a retired Deputy Sheriff. Both received special treatment due to their volunteering equal to those who were able to donate $1,000.
The Tea Party Patriots is the real deal as noted in your article. I can attest to this as an little guy who has been given special treatment over a very small issue that concerned me due to appearances.
The same thing goes for the donation whose donor is remaining anonymous. TPP leaders will handle this funding with integrity and honesty. Expenditures will be made by the TPP will be transparent, I’m sure. I trust these people emphatically!!
Jay: Thank you so much for taking the time to share this experience, as well as stopping by my small blog. I will look forward to celebrating with you Nov. 2nd when we see some Tea Party wins.
It was my pleasure. I will be sending this thread far and wide due to the excellent article you wrote on the Tea Party movement. It is sites like these that help educate the public with reality and facts.
Keep up the good work. Let us hope your efforts are rewarded with a multitude of hits as people seek understanding of several issues listed here.
I’ll keep this istuation in prayer. We don’t have time for silly things like this. Let’s get the show on the road and stay united. That’s the ONLY WAY we are going to beat all these creepy people who want to turn us into Cuba or worse.
I’ll definitely keep this in perspective and in prayer. Been there done that, DON’T WANT TO GO BACK!
Actually, I almost did not become involved with TPP because of Mark Williams. I had heard him a few times on KCRA an found him too angry and too divisive to want to involved with him in any way.
So I just work toward my goals and appreciate your good work.
I can back you up on your assumption about Jenny Beth: she’s a great lady, and the characterization of her as some sort of wining-and-dining Beltway shill is laughable: if anything, she’s had to deal with Capitol Hill Republicans treating her, at best, like a pesky little sister, and at worst like an open threat. Yes, there are a few who have the sense to treat her with the respect active citizens are owed (Michele Bachmann, for instance), but that’s hardly Ruling Class patronage.
In any case, she’s a terrific person, and she got involved in TPP not for the money (as far as anyone knew at the start, there was no money to be had, and for most people who remain involved in TPP, it costs them more to do so, including donations and bus trips and so forth), but because she was concerned about the world her two children would inherit.
I’d also caution everyone out there to go easy on the Tea Party Express: while I, too, prefer the Tea Party Patriots and think that the actions of TPE have often been questionable, there are many fine, honest people involved in that organization, and they shouldn’t be impugned because of the shameful behavior of a few. Amy Kremer is a nice lady, and if she got caught up in some unfortunate events, it’s because we’re all new to this grassroots activism thing, and we’re bound to make mistakes.
All that aside, however, Williams’ attempt to tear down Tea Partiers is reprehensible. Stuff it, pal.
I used to call in to Mark Williams show regularly. The key thing about him is even when you agree on some particular issue he is needlessly combative and antagonistic.
He’s the buddy who gets pissed off that you beat him during the company softball game. You still drink beer with him, he’s still going to be in your corner in a tight spot, but you really don’t want to mention “THE GAME” when he’s in earshot.
Because then it’ll be an hour and a half of “His foot was off the bag. I can’t believe you missed that call.”
In his defense, Mark pioneered the bus caravan across America thing with the “You don’t speak for me Cindy” tour from SF to Crawford Texas, to counter the media darling Cindy Sheehan campout in front of President Bush’s house.
You see I read this:
Mark [Meckler] had one failed business attempt after another and was a self-employed “Internet” lawyer facing having to move his entire family in with his parents (not good for a 40-something guy with wife, kids and an upscale McGeorge University education) when he stumbled on the first event in Sacramento, organized by Free Republic .com and emceed by Mark Williams.
and I think this guy Meckler is the PERFECT guy to talk about the economic and societal destruction the political ruling class has inflicted upon California and the Nation.
He’s lived with the consequences of Senate Pro Temp Darrel Steinberg and Speaker Nancy Peloci, up close and personal, just like the rest of us.
Papertiger: Once again, a great point!
Thank you for your kind words. Thank you so much for stepping up and setting the record straight about Dawn and Mark. They do so much for this movement and Tea Party Patriots would not be where it is today without their selfless dedication to our core values and to our country.
I hope to meet you in person one day as well!
I had the misfortune of receiving some of the e-mails, which is the very first experience I had with the likes of Mark Williams. In spite of the request to stop sending messages to the addresses send out in error by another organizer, who has since cleared up the situation with Mark Meckler, Mark Williams is still involved in his rantings and hate-filled messages. I can say in all honesty that Dawn Wildman and Mark Meckler has displayed a lot of class in trying to control the situation. Mark Williams does NOT represent me and the Tea Party. I thank God for the generosity of the donor, it can help several groups to be able to go forward with their goals. You can tell a person’s character when money is involved and Mark Williams has displayed his for the world to see. There are better ways to air out grievances and Williams chose to be negative and without class. He should control his ego so he can do more positive things.
Sometimes the best thing to do is to ignore the noise, declare the nay-sayer persona non gratis and drive on.
The movement and its importance to the survival of our Republic and our Constitution is WAY larger than one individual and his one man war.
United we stand, folks. Divided we fall. I am SO not about falling. I am in this thing to fight and to win. And as one small person who is part of a huge movement and an historic event, I am asking that we all keep our eyes on the target and leave this guy to his petulance.
For the Republic and long live the Constitution!
That’s a drag when there’s infighting among us!!! That kind of triteness and dishonesty is exactly what we are fighting among elected politicians!!! Sounds to me as if Mark Williams is on apower trip, and we DONT need this in out fledgling midst… We need to be of like-mind-purpose… ?O jealousy or trite competitiveness … We have to FOCUZS ALL our energies to defeat this enemy who wants to finish killing our Nation! If they can’t reconcile this, then one of them has to go OUT and away from us and not destroy our purpose and focus1 Got it guys???? This is bigger than you! Get back in the fold! There’s room enough for a victor, and if you aren’t man enough to accept competition and reconcile then stop wasting our time and resources1 Grow up1
Folks, lets concentrate on the election. Most of us just go to the beat of our own drummer. Let’s keep it that not get embroiled in intra-organizational warfare. We are beggining to sound like Repiblicans~!
Nancy Weres: A brief note for you took look at MUT’s COMMENT POLICY. I do not permit posts that insult other readers. I also want to stress that I was quite content to never write about either Mark Williams or TPE — until Williams’ slander-filled vandetta reached my personal inbox.
While I am certain there are a lot of fair-minded TPE members working hard to support the overall Tea Party Movement, if you take a good look at Williams’ blog page, the cyber-stalker focus on Mark Mecker is chilling. Hence, my post defending the man and TPP based on my positive experiences with both.
I urge you to redirect your passion and energy to more positive outlets, instead of demeaning others in my comments section.
it will be interesting to see where things go this november