Tea Party Extremists Engaged in Ugly Confrontational Actions and
Over Heated Rhetoric That Both Parties Should Denounce
FRANKFORT --- Stating that “it’s overdue for officials of both parties, including Trey Grayson and Rand Paul, to denounce the ugly confrontational actions and over-heated rhetoric involving extreme members of the Tea Party,” Democratic United States Senate candidate, Dr. Daniel Mongiardo announced that his campaign has officially launched a new website, www.DontDrinkTheTea2010.com, today.
“This past weekend some Tea Party members, who are part of what I call the ‘fright wing,’ engaged in ugly confrontational actions, hurling racial epithets and spitting at members of Congress. This is a part of a pattern of intimidation and intolerance for opposing points of view that have all too often been a hallmark of events involving the Tea Party. While many Tea Party members do not engage in this activity, there have been many incidents of Tea Party protesters who try to shout down opposing points of view. It’s time officials in both parties denounce these tactics,” said Mongiardo.
“Like many Americans, I am frustrated with Washington’s inability to control spending or listen to the concerns of average Americans. Voters feel their voices are not being heard---and too often they are right. The party controlling Washington isn’t Democratic or Republican---it’s special interests and lobbyists. But I also believe we must be able to have a vigorous civil debate about ideas and America’s direction without members of either party resorting to confrontation, intolerance, and trying to shout down those with differing views, which too often seems to be the case with many in the ‘fright wing,’” added Mongiardo.
“Screaming protesters will not create jobs or improve education. Such actions won’t get our country back on the right track. They will only serve to further polarize an already divided Washington,” said Mongiardo. “We need a vigorous civil debate about ideas and solutions to get this country moving again---not acts of intolerance that mask themselves as free speech,” said Mongiardo.
On March 2nd, Mongiardo led protests outside of Senator Jim Bunning’s offices in opposition to Bunning’s effort to block unemployment and health benefits for America’s jobless. Members of Kentucky’s Tea Party organized a counter protest in support of Jim Bunning’s efforts in which they attempted to intimidate and shout down Mongiardo and his supporters.
"Some in the Tea Party believe that freedom of speech is the ability to out-shout the other guys. I believe the overwhelming majority of Americans of all political persuasions oppose these tactics and I hope they will join our new site to voice their rejection of the politics of intolerance and confrontation,” Mongiardo added.
Visitors to www.DontDrinkTheTea2010.com can read more about Dr. Mongiardo’s stand against the Tea Party, share their thoughts and learn more about how they can help Mongiardo in standing up to the Tea Party extremists. Mongiardo is the leading Democrat in Kentucky’s Senate race to replace the retiring Jim Bunning.