According to the Lynchburg News & Advance, that city’s Tea Party has banned the press from their August 5 meeting with Bob Goodlatte (R-6th) and 5th District GOP challenger Robert Hurt.
At a May meeting than drew about 50 people, the Tea Pots said that the “distraction of the press” being present was what members objected to. What distraction? Reporting what the seven GOP candidates in the 5th District had to say to potential voters?
Not only is the press being denied admission to the August meeting, but chair Mark Lloyd said only “registered members” plus “regular participants” will be allowed to attend. That policy reminds me of those phony “town hall meetings” George Bush used to have, where only card-carrying Republicans were allowed in and questions were screened in order to avoid the press in attendance hearing something critical of Bush.
I agree with the New & Advance editorial. “By excluding the media from Thursday’s meeting, the Lynchburg Tea Party is serving only itself. But maybe that’s what this third party political movement is all about.”
Meanwhile, in August Tom Perriello is again holding 22 town hall meetings – open to the press and to all citizens – throughout the 5th District. Robert Hurt, who was opposed by many of those same 5th District Tea Pots and who has an independent challenger on the far right – Jeff Clark – is making a very big mistake when he agrees to meet the Tea Pots in secret. Just what will he promise them? We’ll never know.
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