From The Oklahoma City Tea Party
We are writing on behalf of the executive committee of the OKC Tea Party pertaining to the April 2nd Oklahoman article entitled: Email to Oklahoma senator turned over to OSBI for investigation. We predict that, as a result of this story and the apparent involvement of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Mr. Al Gerhart may receive further attention or perhaps even deliberately seek further public exposure in the interest of “making news”.
Whatever has happened or happens in the future, please be advised that Mr. Gerhart does not speak for the Tea Party movement in the State of Oklahoma. He merely speaks for himself and an independent organization or group (if you can call it that) he founded in 2009 called the Sooner Tea Party, based in Moore, OK where his business is based. While we at the OKC Tea Party do not endorse the tactics Mr. Gerhart seems to routinely use (i.e. verbal personal attacks and threats to public figures to either do things his way or the highway, electively speaking), we believe we can safely say that the many other independent Tea Party groups within our State adopt the same stance as we do — focusing on issues rather than the diminution of specific personalities.
Accordingly, we would suggest in the interest of fairness and accuracy that any future stories contain appropriate caveats concerning Mr. Gerhart, who seemingly seeks to be or is being portrayed as occupying the top of some sort of “pyramid” in the Oklahoma based Tea Party movement. Nothing could be further from the truth. While he credits himself with founding the “Oklahoma Constitutional Alliance” (OCA), that alliance of various Tea Party and issue organizations became defunct a short time later. Guess why? A simple Googling of his name could easily indicate why.
I am very glad to see the OKC Tea Party state that it has no association with Mr. Gerhart. Mr. Gerhart is malign.
This is a “dog bites man” story. I’m glad it is finally publically acknowledged but the OKC Tea Party was never associated with Gerhardt.
During the time period that Charlie Meadows asked me (as OCPAC Vice President) to represent OCPAC on the Oklahoma Constitutional Alliance the OKC Tea Party was excluded from the Alliance despite my efforts and the efforts of other good people. This exclusion was solely at the insistence of Gerhardt.
I did my best to work with Gerhardt despite my disagreement with the exclusion of OKC Tea Party. He then disenfranchised Col Stuart Jolley, also to my dismay. When OKSAFE found that there was simply no way to work with Gerhardt I had to agree with their Exec Dir, Amanda Tiegarden and remove myself from the Alliance as well.
Even more satisfied today with the decision I made in 2009 than at the time, when I received sneers and criticism from Ronda Smith, Tulsa 9/12 and others; but I wanted nothing that would associate my Tea Party group, The USA Patriots to Al Gerhart.
It has been a fortunate judgement call for myself and those of us who want to legitimately make improvements in Oklahoma and are not just chasing and craving media attention, power or a title.
[…] that he looks like an extra from Oz, and tell him that he’s creepy as f-ck. Seriously dude, your own Tea Party nuts don’t even want to be associated with you. Get a life and stop blackmailing people. You’re making what we do look classy and noble. […]