Tea Party Leader—‘We’re Getting Stronger’
Saturday, August 13, 2011
The Rhode Island Tea Party remains a viable and strong organization, its president, Colleen Conley, told GoLocalProv—despite the fact that a key group of volunteers has left and formed a separate organization.
Instead of seeing the new Ocean State Tea Party in Action as a competitor, Conley said she welcomed them. “The Tea Party is excited about this new group because they’ve formed the legislative basis of the Tea Party over the last couple of months,” Conley said.
She said the original Tea Party will continue its work. “The Rhode Island Tea Party has not broken up—that message needs to get out there.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTYesterday, GoLocalProv first reported that a key group of volunteers had left the Rhode Island Tea Party, including its spokesperson and several members of the steering committee. Lisa Blais, one of the leaders of the new group, said all of the volunteers who had been active at the Statehouse over the past few months were involved in the new group. Meanwhile, it was unclear what was happening to the old group, especially since Conley had been conspicuously absent from events for months.
Disagreement over mission, focus
Conley said the older Tea Party would not only remain active but continues to grow in membership. “We’re getting stronger,” she said.
The question remains why so many volunteers would leave the organization.
Conley said the Tea Party has a multi-faceted mission. Besides advocating for taxpayer-friendly legislation, other activities include electing candidates who share its values and building local Tea Party organizations.
Over the past few months, however, she said lobbying at the Statehouse had overtaken the other activities of the Tea Party. “None of that was being taken care of which was frustrating to the other members of the steering committee,” she said.
As for her absence, Conley said she took nearly a month off between April and May to tour the country with former Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey, filming a documentary, “Fixing America.” When she returned, she said she focused on spending time with her family.
Lingering dispute
Leaders of the Rhode Island Tea Party and its off-shoot, Ocean State Tea Party in Action, remain in dispute over exactly how much of a loss the original group took in departing volunteers. Blais told GoLocalProv that four out of six steering committee members had resigned. Conley said it was five out of ten.
Blais said she stood by her figures. She said at the time of the resignations there were six steering committee members—there were only nine if you count the three board members as having a dual membership in the committee. (Both Blais and Conley at the time held two spots on the three-member board.)
Either way, the steering committee has gained new members recently, with seven out of ten positions currently filled, according to Conley.
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