Tea Party group chief quits, cites internal split

[Fisheater]

Tea Party group chief quits, cites internal split
By JACK GILLUM and STEPHEN BRAUN
Associated Press

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...12-04-11-43-11



WASHINGTON (AP) -- Former Republican House Majority Leader Dick Armey has left a conservative Tea Party group, FreedomWorks, under a secret deal that will pay him $8 million.

A confidential contract obtained by the Associated Press shows that Armey agreed in September to resign from his role as chairman of Washington-based FreedomWorks in exchange for $8 million in consulting fees paid in annual $400,000 installments. The person behind the payout is Richard J. Stephenson, a prominent fundraiser and founder and chairman of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, a national cancer treatment network.

Armey confirmed his departure Tuesday, telling The Associated Press that "my differences with FreedomWorks are a matter of principle." He would not describe his specific concerns.

[Lurker]

Tea Party? They're still around?

[myhairsonfire]

A grassroots movement pays someone 8 million to leave. Yeah right.

[Lurker]

Secret deal? Not so secret if it's here..... DOH!

[Wiskey Reb]

Tea party? Hahahahahaha !!!!

[Davy Crockett]

Tea party? Hahahahahaha !!!!

I agree, Wiskey

[seagull]

$8 Million----- The libs got off cheap eliminating "The Tea Party"!

They may have gotten rid of FreedomWorks but not the folks who identify themselves as tea party people.

Tea party folks are serious folks who understand politics and how the game is played. They actually believe that if enough like minded people are elected to Congress, a change in direction can be made to happen. The cynical ones among us probably just chuckle at the naivete, but what is the alternative....throw up our arms in defeat??

The left can't quite figure out how to take the Tea Party on. They'd like to identify someone as the leader and then have their media lackies trash and smear the person until they quit. The Tea Party doesn't operate with a central authority. Here in the Cincinnati area, the word goes out on the internet or WKRP radio and all of a sudden there are hundreds of folks at Fountain Square protesting one thing or another....ie religious freedom.

We can't control how the media reports such demonstrations but you can bet the politicians get the clear message. It may take several elections to get the right people in but I think it will happen.

[Lenno]

If it was a secret deal, how did AP verify the story? Basic rule of journalism is to have 3 verified sources

[seekingone]

$8 Million----- The libs got off cheap eliminating "The Tea Party"!

They may have gotten rid of FreedomWorks but not the folks who identify themselves as tea party people.

Tea party folks are serious folks who understand politics and how the game is played. They actually believe that if enough like minded people are elected to Congress, a change in direction can be made to happen. The cynical ones among us probably just chuckle at the naivete, but what is the alternative....throw up our arms in defeat??

The left can't quite figure out how to take the Tea Party on. They'd like to identify someone as the leader and then have their media lackies trash and smear the person until they quit. The Tea Party doesn't operate with a central authority. Here in the Cincinnati area, the word goes out on the internet or WKRP radio and all of a sudden there are hundreds of folks at Fountain Square protesting one thing or another....ie religious freedom.

We can't control how the media reports such demonstrations but you can bet the politicians get the clear message. It may take several elections to get the right people in but I think it will happen.

This!

Our local Tea Party(s) are small and large local groups across the country with a very active core. There are lots of us. We used to be called the silent majority, but you can no longer count on that silent part. We also clean up after ourselves unlike some of the more "popular" movements. We are many and we are everywhere and nowhere at the same time. As long as we stay that way, we CANNOT be stopped. Slow and steady, ever maligned; showing up at the voting booth without even a reminder call- that's the Tea Party. In numbers we are larger than you ever imagined. We gained House seats in 2012 although we have a long way to go to take the Senate. We are conservative and we believe in the Constituion and Bill of Rights.