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Samuel Adams Would Be Ashamed: "Tea Party" Republican candidates Purgason, Martin, Hartzler and Davis have already tread on us by cutting needed services and wasting taxpayer dollars
or Immediate Release: December 16, 2009 Contact: Ryan Hobart (573) 636-5241 Ext. 125 Samuel Adams Would Be Ashamed: "Tea Party" Republican candidates Purgason, Martin, Hartzler and Davis have already tread on us by cutting needed services and wasting taxpayer dollars Jefferson City, Mo. -- On this day in 1773, colonists in Boston protested not having elected representation by destroying tea imported from Great Britain. More than 200 years later, America has come a long way, now a great example of democracy in the world. Despite that, and still angry from embarrassing political defeats in 2006 and 2008, a bunch of Republicans now are re-branding themselves as “Tea Party Patriots.” And the so-called new leaders of the ultra-conservative Tea Party Republican group in Missouri seem to be the same old folks who already had their shot at serving the people – but were miserable failures when it came to looking out for Missouri families. Here are a selected few of the Tea Party Republicans, aided by the megaphones of Tea Party Republican activists such as Dana Loesch and Bill Hennessy: State Senator Chuck Purgason US Senate candidate and Hater of Health Care In his bid for US Senate, Sen. Purgason has spent months travelling to tea parties around the state touting his belief in responsible government that works for the people. However, Senator Purgason championed the 2005 legislation that ultimately cut 100,000 Missourians from their Medicaid and reduced health benefits for another 300,000 – many of whom were elderly, low-income and disabled. [St Louis Beacon 7/23/09]. This year, Purgason showed his true colors again by signing on to Sen. Jane Cunningham’s proposal to opt Missouri out of health care reform – regardless of what it might offer Missouri families. Ed Martin Congressional candidate – MO-03 and Abuser of Tax Dollars While Chief of Staff to former Governor Matt Blunt, Tea Party Republican Martin was caught doing political business on the state’s dime, misusing his state email address to rally political allies to attack then-Attorney General Jay Nixon and to attack the process by which Missouri chooses its judges. [Springfield News-Leader, 9/9/07; St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 3/3/09]. The ensuing cover-up spawned a wrongful termination lawsuit and also suits for access to destroyed public records. All together, the fiasco ended up costing the state of Missouri more than $2.1 million in legal fees and costs. Frmr. State Rep. Vicky Hartzler Congressional Candidate – MO-04 and Fringe Extremist Former State Rep. Vicky Hartzler has a tough primary for the Republican nomination for the 4th CD, so she’s been speaking at every Tea Party Republican rally she can find to re-brand herself as a fiscal conservative. In fact, a couple months ago she said: "I never voted for a tax increase while I was in Jefferson City. I won't vote for one in Washington, D.C. Unlike my opponents, I believe Americans need lower taxes, not higher taxes." (KY3 Political Notebook, 9/29/09) But in her 1996 re-election fight against Democrat Monte Lee Olsen, Hartzler admitted that she had voted for legislation that required fee and tax increases. Olsen said Hartlzer voted for seven tax and fee increases totaling $9.6 million. According to the Kansas City Star, Hartzler said she did vote for some legislation that required fee and tax increases, such as new Missouri license plates. "There is certainly, unfortunately, a cost of government," Hartzler said. [Kansas City Star, 10/31/96] State Rep. Cynthia Davis Candidate for __?__ in 2010 and Sarah Palin Wanna-Be Rep. Davis hasn’t announced yet what office she is seeking in 2010, but folks around the state are abuzz about what this favorite Tea Party Republican will do next. Famous for her position on child hunger: ‘Hunger can be a positive motivator,’ Davis repeatedly takes extreme stands that hurt Missouri children and families. And she’s not without ethical baggage too: Rep. Davis also has a repeated habit of using campaign funds for personal use. [St. Louis Post Dispatch, 2/15/06] “Samuel Adams must be rolling over in his grave with this group of so-called Tea Partiers,” said Ryan Hobart, spokesperson for the Missouri Democratic Party. “Tea Party Republicans like Purgason, Martin, Hartzler and Davis have had their chance at public service and, quite frankly, they’ve let Missouri families down by wasting taxpayer money and refusing to help the least among us.” --30--
