To those of us in Maine, California is a long way off. Their politics can seem odd to many on this side of the country. That said, to many Californias Sen. Snowe and Collins would be the type of Republicans they are used to. Maine Democrats would either fit right into the California Democrats or be a wee bit centrist for them.
However the tea party of Maine has links with the tea party movement of California. It came to pass over the issue of water and the farmers of Central Valley. Last year there was a relay across the land that started at a tea party event in Augusta in early November 2009, a 8000 mile 26 day round trip. If you care to read about the trek, here is the tale. http://bit.ly/7VfTmN
Its that trip across the land that brought your author in contact with California’s politics. More specifically it brought me into contact with a current candidate for governor of that great state, Larry Naratelli. He came along with the trek to explain the plight of the farmers on our stops through the pacific Northwest, including Seatle, down through mid-California.
Those of us in the vehicle, which I drove all 8000 miles, got to know the man who wants to be governor quite well. He is a Massachusetts transplant who got involved in the tea party movement after urging by his son. http://bit.ly/aiDPpC He has never run for anything before in his life yet he thinks he has the stuff to run one of the largest economies in the world.
He has strong sense of self-belief, a necessity some might say, that translates into what some might call arrogance. Larry was unable to accept criticism and treated the rest of us on the trip as little more than his help. It was all about him and less about the rest of the participant speakers. He insisted that we go out of their way, costing us several hours, to make sure he could rent a car for his next event.
Word reaches this author that his attitude has gotten him in a bit of bother. Like here in Maine with certain governor candidates, Larry seems to attract rather avid followers, small in number, but fanatical in behaviour. As with tea party leaders in Maine, California tea party leaders have suffered from a barage of emails and phone calls berating them for not endorsing Larry. There has been the normal forum and message board stalking of those critical Larry, which is par for the course from this type of fanatic.
However unlike Maine, where the calls and emails have been intense but not violent, a follower of Larry has taken it too far. One of his more ardent campaign workers has stepped over the line and threatened several of the tea party leaders of the state. The police and the FBI are involved in the case and believe the threat real enough to report.
Larry has not condemned this behaviour which you would expect, in fact, he has issued a public statement backing the person involved. He claims that all the allegations are false. His dismissal of the serious allegations reflect poorly on his judgement in heated situations.
Its too bad that Naratelli’s belief in self has blinded him in this situation. Politics can get heated, but violence shoud never enter the mix. Politicians who have followers that engage in such behaviour should distance themselves immediately so that things do not get out of hand.
Comments
And what if the man has NOT offered violence????
Benefit of the doubt and all?
Excuse me, if the FBI is involved I think its an actual threat.
Check out www.republicdefender.ning.com for the whole story! There are alway two sides to everything and not everything is completely as it seems. But you should either have no oppinion or a complete picture! That's my motto
You may want to do some more research Andrew.
well I can tell you from personal experience that 3 of the supporters were so rabid in their support that they were banned from a site I am on - nasty attacks, vulgar language - the works
FBI? Violence? Who are you kidding? Wow nothing like a smear tactic.. Things would have been shut down by now if this were true! I'm laughing out loud!This article is really funny..
What a bunch of nonsense. Andrew Ian Dodge is a complete buffoon. No one from my campaign has threatened anyone. This article is full of lies. The person whom he claims is a threat actually participated in a debate for me with other candidates last night at the Eagle Forum in Seal Beach while I was in Citrue Heights at a debate with other candidates. Andrew you are a complete Hack. Please stay in Maine and keep out of California politics. You are a disgrace to the Tea Party movement.
WOW!Maybe you should just stick with politics in Maine, we have enough idiots in the media here, we don't need to have some from out of state.
Next time review your facts and I would also encourage you to read the republic defender article. Plus, being part of the Naritelli campaign, I can say, you have no idea who or what you are talking about.
Do I smell a Meckler rat?
Why don't you mind your own business? We don't need idiots like you messing in Calif politics. We have enough idiots here to deal with. You don't have your facts straight, period. Do you know for a fact that the FBI is involved? No you don't. You are aparantly jealous of Larry. Is your life so darn boring that you have to stick your nose where it does no belong? Crawl back under your rock.
Well, first off, this pack of lies would not come under the jurisdiction of the FBI. Secondly, the comments that were made made did not threaten any physical violence. Third, if the people that feel so treatened should quite possibly rethink their actions. They have managed to disgrace the entire TEA Party. I joined to be done with backroom secret meetings & underhanded deals. Apparently, not everyone feels the same. I feel after backing someone & promoting them, then turn around and print false & erroneous info about that candidate is reprehensible. To further corrupt the situation with a meeting with one of the most liberal candidates for Gov. that was set up in an underhanded way is absolutely disgusting to me. I personally would like to see both Meckler & Wildman step down after this mess. Such a disgrace!
Where is your proof?
Mr. Naritelli must really be a threat to whatever agenda you or whoever controls you has. If Mr. Naritelli wasn't important then I guess you wouldn't have to bother with him.
Andrew,
I have been following the Gov race rather closely as an outsider. Once you gather ALL the information available on all the candidates and their camps, you will find the Naritelli incident is just smear tactics. You will also find that the two candidates that believe they can purchase this office, are using backhanded, backroom politics to smear anyone even close to them. This includes the way they go at each other. Both the money slinging candidates here are showing their hand on how irresponsible they are with money. They will destroy California. On the other hand, Maine needs your help! I suggest you dig in and use your talents to figure out what is best for you there. My suggestion: Get all the information before you mouth off! It makes you look a little less foolish!
You should immediately revoke this fable and apologize to Mr. Naritelli and all California tea party members for this biased, inaccurate story telling. I would also like to know when Mr. Meckler and Ms. Wildman self appointed themselves the "leaders of the tea party". So Cal Tax Revolt has serious credibility issues now. Mr. Meckler and Ms. Wildman should publicize actual proof of threats of violence or they should issue a public apology to all involved. Until they do I will be staying far away from their egos and their "leadership". By the way, "I am The Tea Party Leader".
I can tell you from first hand experience Naritelli and his supporters are rude fanatic people that have really torn the movement apart. It is a shame, I was once a believer of the Tea Party movement now I am and many others are turned off and turn away. Too bad Naritelli doesn't learn from another good candiodate running Ken Miller who has stayed clear of this nosense, doesn't encage in this fanatic behavior and is very respectful. A prime example of what kind governoring Naritelli would do, thank god he has no chance of winning at all.
What has Mark got to gain from making false claims? Last I checked making a fake claim of a death threat is in fact an offense.
This whole "unless you support Larry" you are a RINO/socialist stooge/not-patriotic is just laughable and pathetic. This sort infantile behavior does the tea party movement no good and drives people away.
You should immediately revoke this fable and apologize to Mr. Naritelli and all California tea party members for this biased, inaccurate story telling. I would also like to know when Mr. Meckler and Ms. Wildman self appointed themselves the "leaders of the tea party". So Cal Tax Revolt has serious credibility issues now. Mr. Meckler and Ms. Wildman should publicize actual proof of threats of violence or they should issue a public apology to all involved. Until they do I will be staying far away from their egos and their "leadership". By the way, "I am The Tea Party Leader".
If you're asking this question seriously," What has Mark got to gain from making false claims?" then perhaps you need to dig a little deeper. Keep in mind, this is your reputation at stake here if you simply blogged this based on a "tip" from an "unknown source" who lacks evidence to back the claim. I would seriously reconsider your position. No shame in recanting, but not much time left to do it.
This article is a bunch of lies. There was no violence threatened. The truth was said, when all of the facts come out, Mr. Meckler and Ms. Wildman will "go down" for their part in this. Larry Naritelli is a man of ethics and values. He stands up for what he believes and knows is true. The FBI may have been called but that is as far as it will go because this is all a bunch of nonsense. We have to ask ourselves, what was behind these attempts to smear Larry's campaign...Larry is a real threat to the other candidates and their campaigns. Larry is the only one that actually stands for "We The People" here in California. We also have to ask, what did Mr. Meckler and Ms. Wildman have to gain in trying to sabotage Larry's campaign. For that, we have to look at WHO would benefit from such tactics, money and power seem to be at the root of all these "dirty deals", you do the research and connect the dots.
AID "Excuse me, if the FBI is involved I think its an actual threat."
It is funny that you mention that... who said that the FBI was involved? Mark Meckler? hmmmm yes he has several emails that he just sends to them... show me the proof that the FBI sees this as a credible threat and they have investigated it... if there is no proof, then you are also attacking the follow through of our FBI in protecting our citizens! Once again, show us proof other than someone who is doing character assassination against someone that according to them hasn't got a chance in hell of winning the Gov Race!
Amazing how their own tactics of getting the Tea Party Name and idea spread is not welcome when used by someone for something other than TPP. Why bring this up at all if the election is Tuesday unless Larry is actually making headway and whomever is truly behind this wants Larry out of the race?
AID "Excuse me, if the FBI is involved I think its an actual threat."
It is funny that you mention that... who said that the FBI was involved? Mark Meckler? hmmmm yes he has several emails that he just sends to them... show me the proof that the FBI sees this as a credible threat and they have investigated it... if there is no proof, then you are also attacking the follow through of our FBI in protecting our citizens! Once again, show us proof other than someone who is doing character assassination against someone that according to them hasn't got a chance in hell of winning the Gov Race!
Amazing how their own tactics of getting the Tea Party Name and idea spread is not welcome when used by someone for something other than TPP. Why bring this up at all if the election is Tuesday unless Larry is actually making headway and whomever is truly behind this wants Larry out of the race?
If you're asking this question seriously," What has Mark got to gain from making false claims?" then perhaps you need to dig a little deeper. Keep in mind, this is your reputation at stake here if you simply blogged this based on a "tip" from an "unknown source" who lacks evidence to back the claim. I would seriously reconsider your position. No shame in recanting, but not much time left to do it.
Apparently you have a double posting issue with this site.
Yet another worthless rant, filled with more lies, from Andrew Ian Dodge. He and Meckler deserve each other.
Mr. Dodge, you should get ALL the facts straight before you publish an article such as this. You sir, apparently have not. Irresponsible on your part.
And as for those of us who have been out in the field campaigning for Mr. Naritelli, I can tell you what we are "fanatical" about. We are fanatical about Our Constitution, Conservative values, our American Freedoms and Sovereignty, free market capitalism, cutting taxes and a representative government that will actually represent "We The People". Which is the very reason we are supporting Larry Naritelli for Governor for California. Larry believes in theses, things just like we do. Then again, so did our nation's founding fathers, but I guess some of their followers would have been called "fanatics" too...
WOW! I think if anyone has had a peek inside the "N" mystique it's Mr Dodge. Hats off to AED for speaking up! It surprises me that you've all been sucked in by the half truths and completely missed the original point here. Not one of you has all the facts! You think this is a smear of Mr. N. Not even close! Come next Tuesday, you and he can go all join the other failed Tea partiers on the TPE bus and ride off into the sunset of sycophantic irrelevancy. I hope that when the truth does some out that you are all ashamed of youselves for jumping on the "BZ" bandwagon and besmirching the integrity of two of the more honorable people in the movement. My father always told me that if I didn't have something nice to say about someone, I shouldn't say anything at all. I think you could all take a piece of that advice to heart and get back to the business of trying to put the legitimacy of the grassroots efforts at the forefront rather than trying to tear it apart with that Axe your grinding!!
It is quite obvious HWRINOCDS or whatever your name is, that you have not read the account of the series of events or seen the evidence. Had you, you wouldn't have posted such an ignorant response.
republidefender dot ning dot com
Go read the 5part story and THEN tell me you still choose to defend this smear blog and the actions of Meckler and Wildman.
WHY I CANNOT VOTE TODAY !!!!!!! BECOUSE I AM AN INDEPEN !!!!!
I CAN NOT VOTE FOR GOVERNOR UNLESS I SAY I'M A DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN. IT MY RIGHT TO VOTE AND NOW THIS IS TAKEN AWAY. HOW
MANY OTHER ARE OUTRAGE OVER THIS? I WALK OUT AND DID NOT VOTE FOR
ANYONE. THIS IS NOT FAIR TO ME AS A TAXS PAYER. WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO TELL ME HOW TO VOTE !!!!!!!!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
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