Tea Party? Freedomworks Implodes Over Secret Corporate Millions

December 22nd, 2012 | Posted by Jim Cook in Election 2012 | Ethics | Politics - (1 Comments)

Looking for a little light holiday reading?  Try David Corn’s article in Mother Jones.  Corn exposes FreedomWorks — which describes itself as “Tea Party HQ” — for getting half of its 2012 money from just one multimillionaire.  That multimillionaire set up two shell corporations that funneled $12 million to FreedomWorks, which in turn funneled the $12 million into efforts to prop up deeply unpopular conservative candidates.  Now the two leaders of FreedomWorks — Matt Kibbe and Dick Armey — are insisting they’ve never heard of this money and had no idea where they’d received half their budget from. 

Dick Armey has abruptly resigned from FreedomWorks and taken a $8 million payment with him.  This kind of FreedomWorked pretty well for him.

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Richard Mourdock, Tea Party Populist? Make that Credit Card Industry Pawn

September 25th, 2012 | Posted by Jim Cook in Economy | Election 2012 | Politics | Republicans - (0 Comments)

The corporation “FreedomWorks,” which calls itself “Tea Party HQ,” endorses Indiana Republican Richard Mourdock for Senate in 2012. “Tea Party Express,” another corporation which like “Freedomworks” is run by Republican political consultants, also endorses Richard Mourdock for Senate, declaring that “Mourdock has shown a dedication to Tea Party principles.”

Gee whiz. Richard Mourdock has been endorsed by the “Tea Party.” He must be one heck of a populist, right?

Wrong. The top occupations of people funding Richard Mourdock’s campaign:

1. Oil and gas executives
2. Health care corporation administrators
3. Finance executives
4. Commercial bankers
5. Securities & Investment
6. Real Estate Interests
7. Law firms

PACs supporting Richard Mourdock:

ALLIANCE COAL PAC
AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION
AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER
AMERICAN FUEL & PETROCHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS PAC
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION
ARCH COAL INC. PAC
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION ASSOCIATES PAC
CHEVRON EMPLOYEES PAC
CLUB FOR GROWTH PAC
COALPAC
CONOCOPHILLIPS SPIRIT PAC
CONSOL ENERGY INC. PAC
EXXON MOBIL CORPORATION PAC
FIFTH THIRD BANCORP PAC
FLAGSTAR BANK FEDERAL PAC
KEYCORP ADVOCATES FUND
KOCH INDUSTRIES INC. PAC
LOUIS DREYFUS COMMODITIES PAC
MARATHON OIL COMPANY EMPLOYEES PAC
MARATHON PETROLEUM CORPORATION EMPLOYEES PAC
MURRAY ENERGY PAC
NATIONAL ASSOC. OF HEALTH UNDERWRITERS PAC
NFIB SAFE TRUST
OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION PAC
OHIO NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. PAC
OLBANK PAC
PNC BANK PAC-FEDERAL
REGIONS FINANCIAL CORPORATION PAC
SIMPSONBRANCH BANKING & TRUST COMPANY PAC
TESORO PETROLEUM CORPORATION PAC
THE COMMITTEE FOR THE PRESERVATION OF CAPITALISM PAC
THE FINANCIAL SERVICES ROUNDTABLE PAC
THE HUNTINGTON BANCSHARES INC. PAC
US BANCORP PAC

According to Politico (January 26 2012), Richard Mourdock’s Senate run was engineered by financiers who wanted to keep extra credit card charges in place:

The banking industry is making an example of Sen. Dick Lugar.

Several veteran financial services lobbyists are fundraising for the primary challenger of one of the most-senior Senate Republicans, sending a clear message to GOP lawmakers who have opposed banks on key votes: Don’t cross us.

Lugar and a dozen other Republicans voted against banks on an amendment that would have blocked caps on swipe fees last year….

Financial Services Roundtable’s Scott Talbott, Lisa Nelson of Visa, Peter Blocklin of the American Bankers Association and Vincent Randazzo of PNC hosted an inside-the-Beltway fundraiser for Lugar’s opponent, Richard Mourdock, this week. The Electronic Payments Coalition, which represents the industry, also sent out an email fundraising blast that included the event.

Today, Republican Senate candidate Richard Mourdock was the guest of honor at a special Financial Services Industry fundraising luncheon. Only $2,500 a ticket!

I had no idea it was the thing for “Tea Party” populists to stand up for credit card companies against evil borrower people. Then again, we must remember that corporations are people.

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Does The Constitution Enable Impeachment Through Facebook?

September 24th, 2012 | Posted by jclifford in Economy | Politics - (2 Comments)

Here’s what the Constitution of the United States of America has to say about how federal officials can be impeached:

“The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.”

“The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.

Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.”

facebook ad by freedomworksThat’s it. Discerning minds will have noted that there is no established method for impeachment of federal officials through a process of citizens clicking “Like” on Facebook.

That fact hasn’t stopped FreedomWorks, a right wing Super PAC heavily subsidized by secret donations from corporations, from advertising the notion to people that they can “help impeach Holder” by clicking “like” on a FreedomWorks landing page. That landing page doesn’t lead to any concrete action that visitors can take to impeach Attorney General Eric Holder. Citizens can’t impeach, after all. The Freedom Works page does, however, enable visitors to give money to FreedomWorks.

The implication is that FreedomWorks will use the money that it takes from visitors to make sure than an impeachment of Eric Holder takes place. FreedomWorks doesn’t have the power of impeachment, though. So, how could clicking “like” on the FreedomWorks page help get Eric Holder impeached?

The suggestion is that FreedomWorks will use the money to elect Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives, and once the Republicans control the House of Representatives, they’ll be able to set the impeachment of Eric Holder in motion. The weak point in this line of reasoning, however, is that the Republicans already control the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Republicans who control the U.S. House have showed zero inclination to impeach Eric Holder. The only thing the Republicans in Congress have showed any willingness to do is to give speeches about how much they don’t like Eric Holder. Giving angry speeches is not part of the process of setting an impeachment into motion. The House Republicans could begin the impeachment any time they want, but they don’t want to. The House Republicans have essentially closed up shop until after Election Day.

What FreedomWorks is doing by supporting Republican campaigns for Congress has nothing to do with the impeachment of Eric Holder. It has everything to do with the elitist economic agenda of the corporations that set up FreedomWorks in the first place. They want corporations to continue paying little or nothing in taxes, while working Americans shoulder more of the burden.

That Facebook advertisement, asking working Americans to click “like” and then make a donation is just part of a sick joke. The wealthy leaders of FreedomWorks get an extra giggle when they see working Americans spending money to help create special tax breaks for corporations, millionaires and billionaires.

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Every Sitting Member of Congress Endorsed by FreedomWorks Voted for Anti-Freedom FISA Amendments Act

September 13th, 2012 | Posted by Jim Cook in Election 2012 | Homeland Insecurity | Legislation | Liberty | Politics | Republicans - (1 Comments)

The FreedomWorks For America Super PAC tosses the mantle of Less Government and the sash of Freedom about its well-endowed shoulders:

FreedomWorks for America endorses true champions of freedom and supports them on the ground with our battle-tested, grassroots get-out-the-vote techniques…. these candidates have been consistent voices for… less government and more freedom.

Let’s fact check that by taking the complete list of all sitting members of the U.S. House of Representatives endorsed by FreedomWorks and seeing how they voted yesterday on H.R. 5949, the bill to reauthorize the FISA Amendments Act for 5 years without any civil liberties reform whatsoever.

The FISA Amendments Act gives the federal government the power to grab Americans’ personal communications and papers without their knowledge, without their permission, and without the judge’s finding of reasonable cause specified in the 4th Amendment to the United States Constitution. Your activity on cell phones, GPS devices, smart phones, online shopping, emails, internet browsing and even your ebooks on your Kindle is vulnerable to being collected by the goverment in warrantless sweeps, and you don’t have to be a criminal to be watched. The government doesn’t have to prove any suspicion of terrorism or other dastardly act. It doesn’t have to prove anything to anybody about what it’s been seizing and who it’s been seizing from — not since the FISA Amendments Act was passed.

Because it abrogates Americans’ 4th Amendment freedoms without reform, yesterday’s vote by the House of Representatives to extend FISA Amendments Act powers for 5 years is a vote for more government, not less. A vote for H.R. 5949 is a vote against American freedoms, not for them. If FreedomWorks really is all about freedom and smaller government, then FreedomWorks should not be endorsing members of Congress who erode freedom and expand government power.

Without further ado, here’s how each FreedomWorks-endorsed incumbent voted on H.R. 5949:

Republican Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (NY-25): FreedomWorks endorsed, voted for big government surveillance without warrants

Republican Rep. Mike Coffman (CO-6): FreedomWorks endorsed, voted for big government surveillance without warrants

Republican Rep. Steve King (IA-5): FreedomWorks endorsed, voted for big government surveillance without warrants

Republican Rep. Jeff Landry (LA-3): FreedomWorks endorsed, voted for big government surveillance without warrants

Republican Rep. David Schweikert (AZ-5): FreedomWorks endorsed, voted for big government surveillance without warrants

Republican Rep. Joe Walsh (IL-8): FreedomWorks endorsed, voted for big government surveillance without warrants

Republican Rep. Allen West (FL-22): FreedomWorks endorsed, voted for big government surveillance without warrants

Fact check result: Judging by endorsements, this Super PAC ought to rename itself AntiFreedomWorks.

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Grassroots-Seeming Anti-Romney Protest Repeats FreedomWorks Lines

September 5th, 2011 | Posted by Jim Cook in Activism | Election 2012 | Politics | Republicans - (0 Comments)

Number of e-mail blasts sent out by the FreedomWorks in the week before September 5 2011 announcing a New Hampshire protest it was organizing against Mitt Romney: 4

Coverage of e-mail blasts to FreedomWorks members asking them to attend the September 5 protest: nationwide

Mantle claimed by FreedomWorks protest against Mitt Romney: “Tea Party”

Headquarters of FreedomWorks: Washington, DC

Party affiliation of the Founder and Chairman of FreedomWorks: Republican Party

Mantle claimed by Tea Party Express, the group inviting Mitt Romney to speak that day: “Tea Party”

Headquarters of FreedomWorks: Sacramento, California

Party affiliation of the Founder and Chief Strategist of Tea Party Express: Republican Party

Number of people attending the “Tea Party” protest against Mitt Romney, taking a count directly from video: 22

Text of the two handmade signs visible in coverage of the 22-person “Tea Party” protest against Mitt Romney on September 5: “Romney = RINO” and “The Issue With Romney is the Issues.”

Sign text FreedomWorks organizer told followers to put on signs themselves and bring to the anti-Romney protest: “Romney = RINO”

Title of FreedomWorks e-mail blast sent out September 4: “The Issue With Romney is the Issues.”

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Dick Armey wing of the GOP mobilizes to Protest Mitt Romney in New Hampshire

September 1st, 2011 | Posted by Jim Cook in Activism | Election 2012 | Politics | Republicans - (2 Comments)

Ronald Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment, “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican,” appears to have been kicked out of the GOP canon.

Yesterday morning, FreedomWorks sent out a blast e-mail message to its followers entitled, “Protest Tea Party Poser Mitt Romney in New Hampshire” and reading in part:

FreedomWorks and tea party groups from around the region will be there. But not to hear platitudes from another establishment hack posing as an outsider.

We’ll be there to tell the real story about Mitt Romney, and to protest his record, which represents everything the tea party stands against.

After all, if we don’t hold candidates accountable for their actions while in office, who will? If we let ourselves be used as pawns to provide cover for the establishment, then what is the point of having the tea party?

We’re standing on principle, not politics. Will you join us?

FreedomWorks HQ: 1000 feet from the Russell Senate Office Building, 1500 feet from the U.S. Capitol.It’s a bit of an odd message, considering that FreedomWorks is part of the Republican “establishment.” FreedomWorks is a 501c3 corporation co-founded in 2004 by former Republican Majority Leader Dick Armey upon leaving office, with the cooperation of Republican congressman, cabinet member and Vice Presidential candidate Jack Kemp. With Dick Armey serving as Chair for the past seven years, FreedomWorks has funneled money into congressional campaigns, consistently favoring Republican candidates and consistently favoring a more conservative Republicanism. FreedomWorks’ offices are situated snugly inside the DC Beltway, just 1000 feet from the Russell Senate Office Building and just 1500 feet from the Capitol Building where the U.S. Congress convenes. If this is an outsider organization, I’m Fatty Arbuckle.

It’s also a bit odd for FreedomWorks to wag its finger about people being “used as pawns to provide cover for the establishment” considering the phone conversation I had today. I called up David Spielman, the Campaigns Coordinator at FreedomWorks and the person listed in FreedomWorks’ e-mail blast as point-man for the event. I was curious about the reasons for FreedomWorks’ plan to put on a protest in New Hampshire; the call to protest didn’t list any specific justifications for opposing Romney’s candidacy. When I asked Spielman what the particular policy reasons were for the protest against Romney, he briefly touched on a few: “He has a lot of issues that are no good. He does not have a good record… there’s mainly Obomneycare and Cap-and-Trade. Plus the fact that he has said nasty things about the Tea Party.”

But within a few seconds, Spielman got very specific, asking me to bring signs with particular messages written on them (I didn’t misrepresent myself, but Spielman seemed to assume I was a Tea Party activist). The messages Spielman identified were:

  • “I’m Tea Party. Romney Isn’t.”
  • “Obomneycare=Obama Care”
  • “ObamaCare = RomneyCare”
  • “Romney = RINO”

“We may or may not have a rhino suit,” Spielman added at the end of this list.

Look for these messages in coverage of the “Tea Party” event. Also look for a guy in a rhino suit. It’ll be hard to tell it from an elephant unless you take a very close look. Try taking a sniff under the tail.

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Senate Tea Party Roll Call Vote on the Patriot Act, May 2011

May 29th, 2011 | Posted by Jim Cook in Homeland Insecurity | Legislation | Liberty | Politics | Republicans - (4 Comments)

16 members of the U.S. Senate have a concrete tie to the Tea Party from some combination of three sources:

1. 2010 endorsement by the self-proclaimed “Tea Party HQ” organization FreedomWorks
2. 2010 endorsement by the Tea Party Express organization
3. Current membership in the Senate Tea Party Caucus

In the first meeting of the Senate Tea Party Caucus in January of 2011 (attended by the leaders of FreedomWorks and Tea Party Express), calls for “constitutionally-limited government” were met with great applause. But on May 26 2011, constitutionally limited government was shot down by Senators who voted to pass reauthorization of the Patriot Act without reforms, even though it lets the government snoop through your home, your car, your office, your data, your communications and even your reading list at the library, all without the warrant demonstrating probable cause that the 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution demands.

How did the members of the Senate affiliated with these Tea Party organizations vote on the Patriot Act this month? It turns out that most of them supported this intrusive big goverment spying program. Most of them voted a hearty YES to the Patriot Act.

Tea Party Members of the Senate who voted FOR the Patriot Act on May 26, 2011

Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire
Senator John Boozman of Arkansas
Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts
Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina
Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma
Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho
Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina
Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota
Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin
Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas
Senator Rob Portman of Ohio
Senator John Thune of South Dakota
Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania

Tea Party Members of the Senate who voted AGAINST the Patriot Act on May 26, 2011

Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky
Senator Mike Lee of Utah

SenatorMarco Rubio of Florida did not cast a vote on the measure.

Tea Party associated members of the Senate ended up supporting the Patriot Act in a higher proportion (87%) than the Senate did overall (76%). As in the House, the Tea Party associated members of the Senate may talk a great deal about supporting the Constitution, but (with the notable exceptions of Senators Paul and Lee) they have not put their liberty talk into pro-constitution practice.

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Roll Call: How Tea Party in House voted on Patriot Act, May 2011

May 28th, 2011 | Posted by Jim Cook in Homeland Insecurity | Legislation | Liberty | Politics - (6 Comments)

A number of politicians running for Congress in 2010 were endorsed by the organizations Tea Party Express and FreedomWorks (which refers to itself as “Tea Party HQ”). Dozens of politicians elected to the U.S. House of Representatives chose to join the Tea Party Caucus as official members.

Reflecting the rhetoric of the broader Tea Party movement, Tea Party Express, FreedomWorks and the Tea Party Caucus each proclaim themselves to be organizations dedicated to constitutional government. If we take these declarations seriously, then we should expect members of Congress associated with these three Tea Party organizations to cast votes against bills that subvert the United States Constitution.

This week, that expectation was put to the test when the House voted 250-153 to renew the USA Patriot Act for four years without making any reforms whatsoever to its vast search and surveillance powers, which operate below the standard of probable cause warrants specified by the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. Defenders of constitutional government in deed, not just in rhetoric, should have voted NO.

The following members of the House of Representatives were endorsed by Tea Party Express, endorsed by FreedomWorks, and/or joined the Tea Party Caucus in the 112th Congress. Here’s how they voted this week on passage of the Patriot Act without reforms:

Tea Party members of Congress who voted YES on Patriot Act reauthorization, May 26 2011

Rep. Sandy Adams (Republican-FL, District 24)
Rep. Robert Aderholt (Republican-AL, District 4)
Rep. Rodney Alexander (Republican-LA, District 5)
Rep. Michele Bachmann (Republican-MN, District 6)
Rep. Lou Barletta (Republican-PA, District 11)
Rep. Joe Barton (Republican-TX, District 6)
Rep. Charles Bass (Republican-NH, District 2)
Rep. Dan Benishek (Republican-MI, District 1)
Rep. Rick Berg (Republican-ND, District 0)
Rep. Brian Bilbray (Republican-CA, District 50)
Rep. Gus Bilirakis (Republican-FL, District 9)
Rep. Diane Black (Republican-TN, District 6)
Rep. Mo Brooks (Republican-AL, District 5)
Rep. Larry Bucshon (Republican-IN, District 8 )
Rep. Michael Burgess (Republican-TX, District 26)
Rep. Dan Burton (Republican-IN, District 5)
Rep. Ken Calvert (Republican-CA, District 44)
Rep. David Camp (Republican-MI, District 4)
Rep. Francisco Canseco (Republican-TX, District 23)
Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (Republican-WV, District 2)
Rep. John Carter (Republican-TX, District 31)
Rep. Bill Cassidy (Republican-LA, District 6)
Rep. Steven Chabot (Republican-OH, District 1)
Rep. Howard Coble (Republican-NC, District 6)
Rep. Mike Coffman (Republican-CO, District 6)
Rep. Tom Cole (Republican-OK, District 4)
Rep. Chip Cravaack (Republican-MN, District 8 )
Rep. Rick Crawford (Republican-AR, District 1)
Rep. Ander Crenshaw (Republican-FL, District 4)
Rep. John Culberson (Republican-TX, District 7)
Rep. Jeff Denham (Republican-CA, District 19)
Rep. Charles Dent (Republican-PA, District 15)
Rep. Bob Dold (Republican-IL, District 10)
Rep. Sean Duffy (Republican-WI, District 7)
Rep. Blake Farenthold (Republican-TX, District 27)
Rep. Stephen Fincher (Republican-TN, District 8 )
Rep. John Fleming (Republican-LA, District 4)
Rep. Bill Flores (Republican-TX, District 17)
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (Republican-NE, District 1)
Rep. Trent Franks (Republican-AZ, District 2)
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (Republican-NJ, District 11)
Rep. Elton Gallegly (Republican-CA, District 24)
Rep. Cory Gardner (Republican-CO, District 4)
Rep. Scott Garrett (Republican-NJ, District 5)
Rep. Jim Gerlach (Republican-PA, District 6)
Rep. Bob Gibbs (Republican-OH, District 18)
Rep. John Gingrey (Republican-GA, District 11)
Rep. Louis Gohmert (Republican-TX, District 1)
Rep. Paul Gosar (Republican-AZ, District 1)
Rep. Tim Griffin (Republican-AR, District 2)
Rep. Michael Grimm (Republican-NY, District 13)
Rep. Frank Guinta (Republican-NH, District 1)
Rep. Vicky Hartzler (Republican-MO, District 4)
Rep. Joe Heck (Republican-NV, District 3)
Rep. Walter Herger (Republican-CA, District 2)
Rep. Bill Huizenga (Republican-MI, District 2)
Rep. Duncan Hunter (Republican-CA, District 52)
Rep. Lynn Jenkins (Republican-KS, District 2)
Rep. Bill Johnson (Republican-OH, District 6)
Rep. Mike Kelly (Republican-PA, District 3)
Rep. Steve King (Republican-IA, District 5)
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Republican-IL, District 11)
Rep. John Kline (Republican-MN, District 2)
Rep. Doug Lamborn (Republican-CO, District 5)
Rep. Leonard Lance (Republican-NJ, District 7)
Rep. Jeff Landry (Republican-LA, District 3)
Rep. James Lankford (Republican-OK, District 5)
Rep. Jerry Lewis (Republican-CA, District 41)
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (Republican-NJ, District 2)
Rep. Frank Lucas (Republican-OK, District 3)
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (Republican-MO, District 9)
Rep. Cynthia Lummis (Republican-WY, District 0)
Rep. Daniel Lungren (Republican-CA, District 3)
Rep. Kenny Marchant (Republican-TX, District 24)
Rep. Thomas Marino (Republican-PA, District 10)
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (Republican-CA, District 22)
Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (Republican-MI, District 11)
Rep. David McKinley (Republican-WV, District 1)
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Republican-WA, District 5)
Rep. Patrick Meehan (Republican-PA, District 7)
Rep. Candice Miller (Republican-MI, District 10)
Rep. Gary Miller (Republican-CA, District 42)
Rep. Mick Mulvaney (Republican-SC, District 5)
Rep. Randy Neugebauer (Republican-TX, District 19)
Rep. Richard Nugent (Republican-FL, District 5)
Rep. Devin Nunes (Republican-CA, District 21)
Rep. Alan Nunnelee (Republican-MS, District 1)
Rep. Erik Paulsen (Republican-MN, District 3)
Rep. Stevan Pearce (Republican-NM, District 2)
Rep. Mike Pence (Republican-IN, District 6)
Rep. Ted Poe (Republican-TX, District 2)
Rep. Tom Price (Republican-GA, District 6)
Rep. Ben Quayle (Republican-AZ, District 3)
Rep. Jim Renacci (Republican-OH, District 16)
Rep. Reid Ribble (Republican-WI, District 8 )
Rep. Martha Roby (Republican-AL, District 2)
Rep. Michael Rogers (Republican-MI, District 8 )
Rep. Dennis Ross (Republican-FL, District 12)
Rep. Edward Royce (Republican-CA, District 40)
Rep. Jon Runyan (Republican-NJ, District 3)
Rep. Steve Scalise (Republican-LA, District 1)
Rep. David Schweikert (Republican-AZ, District 5)
Rep. Tim Scott (Republican-SC, District 1)
Rep. Pete Sessions (Republican-TX, District 32)
Rep. Michael Simpson (Republican-ID, District 2)
Rep. Adrian Smith (Republican-NE, District 3)
Rep. Christopher Smith (Republican-NJ, District 4)
Rep. Lamar Smith (Republican-TX, District 21)
Rep. Clifford Stearns (Republican-FL, District 6)
Rep. Steve Stivers (Republican-OH, District 15)
Rep. Lee Terry (Republican-NE, District 2)
Rep. Patrick Tiberi (Republican-OH, District 12)
Rep. Frederick Upton (Republican-MI, District 6)
Rep. Timothy Walberg (Republican-MI, District 7)
Rep. Greg Walden (Republican-OR, District 2)
Rep. Joe Walsh (Republican-IL, District 8 )
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (Republican-GA, District 3)
Rep. Joe Wilson (Republican-SC, District 2)
Rep. Kevin Yoder (Republican-KS, District 3)
Rep. Todd Young (Republican-IN, District 9)

 Tea Party members of Congress who voted NO on Patriot Act reauthorization, May 26 2011

Rep. Justin Amash (Republican-MI, District 3)
Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (Republican-MD, District 6)
Rep. Rob Bishop (Republican-UT, District 1)
Rep. Paul Broun (Republican-GA, District 10)
Rep. John Campbell (Republican-CA, District 48)
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (Republican-UT, District 3)
Rep. Jeff Duncan (Republican-SC, District 3)
Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick (Republican-PA, District 8 )
Rep. Tom Graves (Republican-GA, District 9)
Rep. Morgan Griffith (Republican-VA, District 9)
Rep. Richard Hanna (Republican-NY, District 24)
Rep. Raúl Labrador (Republican-ID, District 1)
Rep. Tom McClintock (Republican-CA, District 4)
Rep. Dennis Rehberg (Republican-MT, District 0)
Rep. Phil Roe (Republican-TN, District 1)
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (Republican-CA, District 46)
Rep. Scott Tipton (Republican-CO, District 3)
Rep. Allen West (Republican-FL, District 22)

How did Tea Party Members of the U.S. House vote on reauthorization of the Patriot Act on May 26 2011? 120 Tea Partiers Voted for it. Only 18 Tea Partiers Voted against it.The numbers tell the story: 120 Tea Party members of Congress voted FOR the Patriot Act. Only 18 Tea Party members voted against it.

If we go by deeds rather than by words, the congressional Tea Party record on the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution is downright dismal. It seems that for most of those sporting a Tea Party label in the House of Representatives, support for liberty is just a pose.

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