The truth about the Fox News Tea Parties
FreedomWorks
Planning for FreedomWorks' 9/12 rally began hours before Beck introduced his 9/12 project on air
Submitted by Dave on Fri, 04/17/2009 - 15:19FreedomWorks began planning for a Washington rally over a month ago. Specifically, based on timestamps on their message board, they began applying for permits for a September 12th rally in the early afternoon of March 13th, 2009. March 13th sounded familiar last night, but I didn't make an important connection.
As it turns out that, March 13th was also the day that Glenn Beck took to Fox News for his "We Surround Them" special. That night, he introduced his 9/12 project:
FreedomWorks Joining Glenn Beck; Planning 9/12 March on Washington
Submitted by Dave on Fri, 04/17/2009 - 02:37FreedomWorks and other corporate advocacy groups have consistently denied responsibility for planning the "tea parties," instead crediting "the same online networks and communities instrumental in Obama’s campaign." The faux humility didn't sit well; it now looks like FreedomWorks has been planning to discard it for some time.
Freedomworks is in the early stages of planning a September 12, 2009 event in Washington DC. The organization has "secured permits for the West Front of the United States Capitol and are currently working on the remaining logistics", according to a web page added to their site this week.
FreedomWorks Orchestrates ‘Grassroots’ Movements To Serve Dick Armey’s Corporate Clients
Excerpt:
ThinkProgress reported last week that corporate lobbyists are helping to orchestrate the anti-Obama tea party protests. These lobbying-run front groups, along with promotion help from Fox News, are organizing the tea parties by calling right-wing activists and asking them to organize. They are also coordinating conference calls among activists, writing press releases, providing sign ideas, building websites supporting the protests, and distributing talking points so that the protesters can stay on message.
FreedomWorks Lobbyist Dick Armey Takes Credit for Organizing Tea Parties
Submitted by Marisa on Mon, 04/13/2009 - 16:22In a post over at FDL, Jane Hamsher highlights how FreedomWorks Lobbyist Dick Armey is taking credit for Organizing Tea Parties.
Corporate Lobbyists Raising Money For Tea Parties
Excerpt:
Teabaggers are having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that "grassroots" demonstrations aren't orchestrated by corporate lobbyists. Understandable -- if you didn't have any experience organizing a demonstration that didn't have millions in free PR from Fox News and well-funded GOP fat cats providing a national infrastructure, you wouldn't know the difference.
CITY OF BURLESON TRIES TO CANCEL TEA PARTY
Excerpt:
I just got off the phone with the local organizers of the Burleson Tea Party. They told me that the city’s press statement contained false explanations of what happened, but ultimately the local organizers will be able to hold their tea party. The city manager agreed to cooperate with the tea party planners to ensure that the tea party is safe, and a success. According to organizers, the city manager said that the city ”dropped the ball” and that he could not get any work done all day, due to the flood of emails and calls.
Conservative Establishment Backs Anti-Spending Rallies
Excerpt:
This string of nation-wide protests was spontaneous, but it was egged on and given form by the establishment of the conservative movement. In Washington, the Tea Party protest was brought into a rough, flash mob order by J.P. Freire, the young managing editor of the American Spectator and a rising star in cable TV punditry. Freire launched a web site and Facebook page for the Washington event, Malkin promoted it, and conservative think tanks jumped on the bandwagon. By Friday the event was endorsed by Americans for Tax Reform, FreedomWorks, the National Taxpayers Union, and Americans for Prosperity, whose local chapter had helped promote the Kansas rally. The timing meshed with the 36th annual Conservative Political Action conference, and dozens of attendees had hopped on the D.C.