Glad they booted out their bigot leader...

[R13]

(CNN) -- The National Tea Party Federation, an organization that represents the Tea Party political movement around the country, has expelled conservative commentator Mark Williams and his Tea Party Express because of an inflammatory blog post he wrote, federation spokesman David Webb said Sunday.

Appearing on the CBS program "Face the Nation," Webb said that Williams and the Tea Party Express -- which has held a series of events across the country to generate support for the movement -- no longer were part of the National Tea Party Federation.

"We, in the last 24 hours, have expelled Tea Party Express and Mark Williams from the National Tea Party Federation because of the letter that he wrote," Webb said of the blog post by Williams that satirized a fictional letter from what he called "Colored People" to President Abraham Lincoln.

Webb called the blog post "clearly offensive."

Williams did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday afternoon.

Williams wrote the blog post in response to a resolution by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) that called on Tea Party leaders to crack down on racist elements in the movement.


The NAACP, the nation's main group advocating civil rights for African Americans, cited signs carried at Tea Party events and racial slurs reportedly shouted at black congress members during an event as some examples of racism in the movement.

The announcement by Webb on a Sunday talk show demonstrated that the public outcry over the issue had resonated with the Tea Party movement, and indicated a possible split within its leadership.

NAACP President Benjamin Jealous told CNN that other Tea Party leaders besides Webb, who is African American, should come out against racist elements in the movement.

"We hope that the household names, Sarah Palin and so forth, will come forward and say the same thing," Jealous said, later adding: "We don't think the Tea Party is racist, but we don't think they've gone far enough yet either."

Some political leaders interviewed on Sunday talk shows also said the Tea Party movement itself wasn't racist, but needed to distance itself from any elements that bring prejudice and bigotry to its events.

"There are some members who have used the Tea Party -- whether it's the Tea Party itself, there are some individuals who have tried to exacerbate racial tensions in this country," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, said on CNN's "State of the Union." "I have seen some virulent fliers that have been directed at our members, clearly referencing race, the president's race and race generally."

On the same show, however, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, steered clear of the issue, saying: "I am not interested in getting into that debate."

"Dear Mr. Lincoln," began the fictional letter posted by Williams. "We Coloreds have taken a vote and decided that we don't cotton to that whole emancipation thing. Freedom means having to work for real, think for ourselves, and take consequences along with the rewards. That is just far too much to ask of us Colored People and we demand that it stop!"

Williams went on to write that the Tea Party movement couldn't be racist because it opposed government bailouts for Wall Street banks and big corporations.

"Bailouts are just big money welfare and isn't that what we want all Coloreds to strive for?" the posting said. "What kind of racist would want to end big money welfare? What they need to do is start handing the bail outs directly to us coloreds!"

Williams, a conservative talk radio host, said the post was intended as satire. He took it down as criticism mounted.

Tea Party leader says he's done talking about race controversy - CNN.com

[Milk3]

Does it get lonely talking to yourself on here?.... I bet it does

[R13]

I post topics, if they don't want to reply or pout, that's cool. Still going to post a worthy topic or just when I get bored enough. I don't take the forum too seriously.

[R13]

He's back.

Washington (CNN) - Mark Williams, who recently resigned in disgrace as Tea Party Express spokesman, exclusively tells CNN that he is rejoining the conservative grassroots movement. As Williams revealed his new plans he also took a swipe at the Tea Party movement for not being able to move beyond "the cheerleading stage."

Williams revealed, first to CNN, that he is helping to form a political action committee that will channel "Tea Party passion" into electing conservative candidates.

Williams said the effort will be called the "Citizens Reclaiming Constitutional Liberties PAC." He told CNN that paperwork is currently being filed to establish the group and that it should be up and running by August 16. From there, the PAC will proceed in raising seed money and finding candidates it deems conservative enough, Williams said.

"We'll be looking for?conservative young people who have something to offer, something to say and don't identify, in some cases, with either party," Williams told CNN in an exclusive interview.

The effort will first focus on helping candidates in California, where Williams is based. But the long-term focus will be on putting conservative politicians in office who will be reliable conservatives for years to come.

"You don't elect anybody to the White House in [the year] 2030 unless you elect ?a dog catcher in 2010," Williams said. "We're fielding conservative candidates outside of the Republican Party structure because the Republican Party can't be trusted."

"Both parties, frankly, have just become so corrupt with special interests that we need new blood," Williams added.

The former Tea Party Express spokesman also took aim at the larger movement, saying it's effectively riled people up ? but has not done much with that energy.

"What we're looking to do is channel all of this into something more constructive than standing around at rallies and yelling and just cheerleading," Williams said. "You know the Tea Party thing ? the feeling a lot of us had was that the thing had stalled at the cheerleading stage. And we were being bombarded with people asking us, 'Ok, we're worked up, we believe you, we're informed ? now what do we do."

Williams resigned as Tea Party Express spokesman after posting what he called a satirical letter pretending to be from NAACP President Benjamin Jealous to Abraham Lincoln.

In his interview with CNN, Williams called it a "stupid and horrible gaffe."

Levi Russell, Communications Director for the Tea Party Express, was surprised to learn about Williams' new venture from CNN. But he was not surprised that Williams is continuing with the mission on which most Tea Party activists agree.

"We didn't really feel that he ever left the Tea Party movement," Russell told CNN. "I think there is plenty of room, ample room in the conservative movement for new groups to form."

As for Williams' assertion that the movement is stalled at "the cheerleading stage," Russell said he agrees.

"You can't rally forever," he said.

"We'll continue having rallies, but that's not the overall point. The point is to bring about real change in the government."

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - CNN Exclusive: Mark Williams rejoins Tea Party movement, has new effort - Blogs from CNN.com