Florida Tea Party Spills its Tea
by Javier Manjarres
The Shadowy Florida ‘Political’ Tea Party is continuing their deceptive tactics by recruiting actual Tea Party or other ‘supporters’ to run for elected office. The Shark Tank has been monitoring this group with a very close eye and we’ve written some about the confusion that they are causing (see “Tea Party Tempest“). Much murkiness surrounds this political party, and the purpose they are serving is very dubious.
The Florida Tea Party Party was founded by Mr. Fred O’Neal, a registered Democrat, and it is heavily supported by Orlando area consultant Doug Guetzloe. Many tea party activists and politicos have been doubtful about Mr. O’Neal and company’s motives, and legitimate questions remain as to whether they are working with the Democrat Party to help split the Republican vote in November’s election.
Guetzloe has come under fire lately by District 8 Congressional candidate Bruce O’Donoghue, when it revealed that ultra-liberal Congressman Alan Grayson was paying Guetzloe for ad space on his radioshow. (See “Republican Candidate Claims Florida Tea Party A ‘Sham’“)
“I will not stand for the way (incumbent Democrat) Alan Grayson is using this political party to further his own political career,” O’Donoghue said. O’Neal wrote back to O’Donoghue and said the following:
“You’ve picked a fight that’s going to cost you. … I now have a grudge with you.”
O’Neal continued: “If you ever again in your lifetime decide to run for any other public office … I’m going to personally make sure there is a Tea Party nominee on the ballot opposing you.”
So we now have Mr. O’Neal on the record admitting that he would put up an candidate solely out of spite. Is this what is happening now with Tea Party candidate Peg Dunmire? O’Donoghue is running in a contested Republican primary race with several other candidates and one actual Tea Party candidate, Dunmire.
The Florida GOP is also questioning the third party. State Senator and Florida GOP Boss John Thrasher commented on this issue the other day.
““The recent flurry of last minute filings by so –called “tea party candidates” looks awfully suspicious,” said GOP Chairman John Thrasher in a statement. “While a few tea-party candidates across the state do have ties to the tea party movement, in the majority of instances, it appears that the Democrats have coordinated a dishonest attempt to hide phony candidates behind the name “tea party” and to confuse voters who may be supportive of the tea party movement, effectively stealing votes from true conservative candidates and injuring the grassroots tea party movement as a whole.” (Full Story)
Does this political party have an ulterior motive? It sure looks that way, as they continue to field candidates that they know will take votes away from Republicans.
14 Responses to Florida Tea Party Spills its Tea
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it is not even a story anyone can follow….
because of the simple reason you will not distinguish between the movement, and the political party.
but never fear…..people are not stupid!! WE THE PEOPLE DO NOT WANT A THIRD PARTY, WE HAVE MADE THAT CLEAR, THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IT TO STEP OVER THIS AND ALLOW THEM TO PETER OUT!
ANYONE HELPING GREYSON IS A WHOLE LOAD, SHY OF A LOAD!! A BIG FAT ZERO!
O’Neal is a walking contradiction: a self-proclaimed “Reagan Democrat” and member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
They were founded by a liberal democrat and they continue to try to steal votes from Conservative Republicans
This stresses the importance of researching the candidate before you give him/her your vote. If you vote strictly by Party or strictly by flashy campaign ads in the mail, on radio, and TV, you really have no idea whether the person you vote for is “The Real Deal.”
By the way, Swamp Spin, what did you mean to infer with the comment that O’Neal is a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans? So am I. The SCV is full of conservative Republicans as well as former “Reagan Democrats.” How does that make him a “walking contradiction?”
I am a 28 year veteran of the U.S. Army who retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1992, and I am very proud of my association with the SCV. Perhaps you are unaware that conservative columnist Patrick Buchanan and former Florida Governor Lawton Chiles are/were also members of the SCV, which is a hereditary organization (similar to the Daughter of the American Revolution) made up of males of any race, color, or creed who can trace our ancestry back to a forebear who served honorably in the Confederate armed forces or government. Two of my three ancestors who served in the Confederate Army were killed, and I am proud of their sacrifice, and willing to take whatever steps may be necessary in order to protect their good names.
U.S. Congressman Alan Grayson was one of the few in Washington D.C. to stand up against the Federal Reserve and its “Don” Hitman Ben Bernanke. He pointed out how the bulk of the newly passed banking reform bill is a sham, and was one of the few who voted for Congressman Ron Paul’s “Audit the Fed” bill. The Banksters rule in D.C. and Grayson is the people’s WATCHDOG!
It is time for voters to start thinking for themselves and decide if they are conservative or liberal, if they support the Constitution or not. It does not matter if you are a “tea party” supporter, altho if you are doing it for the right reasons, go for it! Bob Grayson is a HUGE embarrassment for the state of Florida, be you Republican, Democrat or Independent. Let’s please not be the “hanging chads” of the 2010/2012 elections by falling for a bunch of rhetoric – let’s do our homework and be the most informed voters we can be.
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SwampSpin,
If you are right about O’Neal being a Reagan Democrap…
then he stands as a GOP member.He just does not know it!
And,you speak of the SCV as if it’s a bad thing,you are very
much WRONG!
Shark Tank never mentions the other Republican candidates in Cong. Dist 8 race, namely, Danny Webster, a most qualified and honorable candidate. Webster is the only hope of defeating Grayson, the ultra liberal, think skinned DEM.
Navygal-
We featured Daniel Webster in an interview last month
Again with trying to tell us who we should vote for. I think most Americans, at least the hard working ones (and I include those of you who have lost your job because of the Washington garbage) have a smart enough mind to make up their own minds about whom they want to vote for. The TV and radio ads get repetitive enough people tune them out.
The Republican candidates in Orlando District 8 all have some kind of baggage.
Todd Long has an alcohol problem and Tom Tillison & Jason Hoyt are and have been supporting him since he ran in 2008. DC is no place for that kind of problem and he also has no substance.
Dan Webster is a 30 year veteran of politics – a nice man but I thought we wanted to start new this time.
Kurt Kelly may be a Christian man but he voted for Sun Rail knowing full well the citizens of Florida did not have the money to pay for it – grant’s or not. Best guess is every household involved in this money deal is $6000.
Patricia Sullivan – a lot of grass roots followers, good Christian but she is like so many others in Washington she has never held a solid job, has no concept of what it takes to run a business or the financial concepts of our future – paying bills at home is not the same and having started a Tea Party group is not a flag waver, so have hundreds of others.
Bieling – not sure where he is since you never see or hear from him. He does have business sense but no plans for repair of the government.
Dan Fanelli – what a joke – he has no plans either and is running on a platform of flying an airplane on 9/11 and videos of making Muslims a joke. No creativity.
O’Donoghue – now here is a story. Best friend is Mel Martinez and we know who he is. Claims he is a small business owner when he is far from that – been fielding government contracts for years. Has no format of his own so he chooses to jump on the bash Peg Dunmire train. Wait til they prove they are all lies and Grayson is nowhere to be found.
Sad state of affairs in district 8. Gonna end up the lessor of 2 evils. I cannot understand tho why everyone is running against Peg Dunmire instead of Alan Grayson. Ms. Dunmire is not in the Primary. Looks to me if Grayson wins another term it will be the Republican Parties fault not Peg Dunmire’s.
Vote American and vote for the best qualified!
Wow, I never imagined this many of my fellow southerners would be reading the Shark Tank. You are a walking contradiction if you are a democrat and a member of the SCV because:
1) On one hand, you are a member of an honorable, hereditary organization whose sole purpose is to protect and preserve the honor of its fallen heroes; and
2) On the other hand, you are a member of a political party who has stopped at nothing to rewrite southern history at every turn of the historical page.
How is that not contradictory?
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