Tea Party Movement Renews Demand that Tea Party, the Ballot-Qualified Party in Florida, Change Its Name

As noted earlier, on January 19, 2010, the South Florida Tea Party, Inc., had filed a federal lawsuit, demanding that the ballot-qualified Tea Party change its name. On February 17, the South Florida Tea Party, Inc., filed an amended complaint. It again asks that the court order the ballot-qualified party to change its name. It says, “Defendants…must include other terms in order to avoid public confusion that the Florida ‘Tea Party’ is somehow endorsed or approved by the Plaintiffs, and other persons or entities that are similarly situated. Alternatively, Defendant Tea Party must amend the name of the political party to comport with the admitted meaning of the acronym, namely, ‘Taxed Enough Already’.” (page 31). UPDATE: here is the response of the ballot-qualified Tea Party, asking the Court to dismiss the lawsuit. This is the party’s first response, from February 8, and the party will file a new, similar version soon.

The amended complaint says “Florida Tea Party activists, such as the Plaintiffs, are working toward reform within the Republican Party and view third party candidacies as counter-productive.”

The new complaint differs from the original complaint by having many more plaintiffs, including Tea Party groups from states other than Florida, such as Texas, South Carolina, New Jersey, Washington, and Michigan. Thanks to Bill Van Allen for help getting the amended complaint.

One of the ironies of this case is that many counties in Florida don’t print complete party names on ballots. Instead they only print acronyms. So, even if this lawsuit were successful, and the ballot-qualified party were forced to change its name from “Tea Party” to “Taxed Enough Already Party”, many counties would still print “TEA” next to the names of any of the party’s candidates.


Comments

Tea Party Movement Renews Demand that Tea Party, the Ballot-Qualified Party in Florida, Change Its Name — No Comments

  1. Republicans don’t care about tea party folks. The Republicans just want to shut them up and continue with there big government ways and increased spending. Remember the Republicans had control of the Federal budget in 1996 to 2007. We didn’t see a smaller government of a lower budget from the Republicans. It’s time for a third party just as the Republicans started out as a third party.

  2. I’ll admit that I am constantly amazed at what sorts of rulings come from the courts and bureaucrats, but I can’t imagine that working. If the Tea Party folks want to control the phrase, that ship has sailed 100%. One can’t claim control over an expression that comes directly from US history.

    Add to that the fact that the Boston Tea Party, a specific name for a specific party, is on the ballot and has already run candidates, and started *before* the Faux News “TEA Parties” and I don’t see how they can find a leg to stand on.

    If they want to control the words “Tea Party” they had better start organizing actual political parties, for as I said before, that ship is sailing. Here in SC they would need 10,000 sigs. I’ll sign one. If these actual rank-and-file Tea Party folks want to push the Republican Party to their agenda, they will find the Republicans a lot more responsive if they are seen as a threat. I get the impression though at this point that most of the TEA Party groups have been co-opted by the Republican leadership. In many places the leadership comes from well situated political operatives who are doing their job…controlling their base.

  3. God! Why can’t these idiots just go with the Constitution or Libertarian parties?! WE HAVE ENOUGH THIRD PARTIES HERE AS IT IS!!!

  4. this case is useful to attack the use of the word independence in state party names confusing the non-affiliated voters. A clarifying name change in NYS such as “IPNY not non-affilated voters party” would be proper unless the IPNY truly allows full participation (nominating petitions as well as primary voting) by all registered non-affiliated “independent” voters.

  5. In a more ideal world, the two major parties would be the Libertarian and the Constitution parties. Then no matter which candidates won, our nation would at least be financially lean. I concur with Cody in that there are already enough parties…

  6. Wow! So the Tea Party is a movement within the Republican Party. Out here in California Chelene Nightingale is running under the Tea Party. Therefore,
    all she is doing is trying to hijack the American Independent Party for her fellow RINO’s.

    Let’s stay with a proven leader, AIP Chairman Markham
    Robinson for California Governor.

    Remember in 2009 Chelene Nightingale was a registered
    Republican.

    Sincerely, Mark Seidenberg, Vice Chairman, American Independent Party.

  7. Pingback: Tea Party Movement Renews Demand that Tea Party, the Ballot-Qualified Party in Florida, Change Its Name | Independent Political Report

  8. Wow! So the Tea Party is a movement within the Republican Party. Out here in California Chelene Nightingale is running under the Tea Party. Therefore,
    all she is doing is trying to hijack the American Independent Party for her fellow RINO’s.

    = Can’t you get your facts right Mark? Chelene is running in the AIP Primary against Markham- she’s not trying to start another political party in California. In fact the tea party organization that she is affiliated with opposes these groups in Nevada and Florida that are trying to get on the ballot.

  9. BTW, why does Markham have all those GOP links on his campaign site still?

    It seems to tell me Markham is more GOP sympathetic then Chelene is.

    And another thing, if these ‘tea party’ groups are GOP front organizations, then why are they running their own candidates in those races instead of supporting the GOP candidate? They’d end up taking away votes from the Republicans and insuring the Democrats would win.

    If these are front groups for a major party, then it would have to be the Democrats, not the GOP.

  10. Mrs. Levine, are you a blonde? Cause you sure have the intelligence of one!

    Chelene has her flaws, but she would b a better Governor then Brown or Whitman, or even a Robinson.

    Vote Nightingale!

  11. markham Robinson has the intelligence, business savvy and maturity over the
    Activist screamer bully Nightingale. She has no class and her followers border on cultish goons willing to do anything to win. Its rather sick and twisted. Someone emailed me and wanted to know if she was still sleeping in her car. Hey, being homeless is no crime. If she needs a place to stay I can recommend a place.
    🙂

  12. Robinson has religious views that would even make the typical Californian Evangelical Christian cringe, and yet like Cody said and I did check out, this guy does have a lot of Republican Party links on his website that makes me wonder he is a GOP Manchurian Candidate in the AIP.

    Get a freakin’ life Babe! At least I’m not salivating over Chelene like you are with your loverboy Markham.

    So, do you keep stolen locks of his hair under your pillow?

  13. Ditto John…

    Oh yeah Mr. Seidenberg, another thing, Janine and everybody in Nevada and elsewhere thinks your nuts. Trying to falsely portray me as Pro-Abortion because I’m more practical minded then some idiots out there that pervert the Pro-Life title.

    It only shows that I am right that you are starting to lose it and you really need some professional help, otherwise you’ll pull an ‘Ed Noonan’ on yourself and start claiming that the CP is a Communist Front and Jim Clymer was once a member of the Worker’s World Party.

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