Tea Party takes on Rep. Tom Emmer, who heads to Selma, Ala. this weekend
WASHINGTON -- Jack Rogers, the president of the Minnesota Tea Party Alliance, is deeply disappointed in his Republican congressman Rep. Tom Emmer.
Rogers, who lives in Ham Lake,publisheda blog postThursdaythat allegedEmmer was avoiding conservative constituents' because he can't attend a Senate District 31 political convention on Saturday. Rogers said the liberty movement is angry about Emmer'srecentvote to support funding the Department of Homeland Security.
On Saturday, Emmer will be inSelma, Ala., to join the 50th anniversary celebration of the historic civil rights march.
"We received word yesterday that Tom canceled his planned appearance due to a scheduling conflict," Rogers wrote on the Tea Party Alliance website. "When we asked about what the conflict was, Emmer stated he would be marching in a parade in Alabama that day."
Emmer's chief of staff David FitzSimmons said in an e-mail Friday that his bosshad been planning to attendthe weekend Selma events since January, and joins Presidents Barack Obama,George W. Bush and more than 100 members of Congress.
"This is a historic event that commemorates the enduring resilience of the American ideal of liberty. Its distasteful that individuals are attempting to minimize Emmers participation," FitzSimmons said.
Emmer's staff noted that the congressmantook several hours Wednesday and Thursday to call concerned constituents about why he decided to challenge his own party and support a "clean" bill to fund DHS, which did not strip out any money for Obama's executive action on immigration.
Republican Reps. John Kline and Erik Paulsen also supported the measure, as did 67 other GOP House members.
Rogers acknowledged talking to Emmer this week about his DHS funding vote.
"He talked to me. Tom and Iare friends and it's like we have a brother or a best friend and all of the sudden they're not thinking along the same paradigms as you are and you always thought theydid," Rogers said. "Ittakes you off guard and that's exactly what happened."
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Tea Party takes on Rep. Tom Emmer, who heads to Selma, Ala. this weekend