John Boehner & Paul Ryan Disavow the Tea Party- Will Boucher, Boughton, Foley, Lauretti & McKinney Do the Same?

Hartford, CT – Last week, John Boehner and Paul Ryan finally disavowed the Tea Party and their reckless actions, like forcing a government shutdown in an attempt to take away affordable health care for all Americans. Now that Speaker Boehner and Paul Ryan have called out the Tea Party for losing credibility, will the Connecticut Republican candidates for governor continue to stand with the Tea Party?  So far, Toni Boucher, Mark Boughton, Tom Foley, Mark Lauretti and John McKinney have been very cozy with the Tea Party.

“The question to Toni Boucher, Mark Boughton, Tom Foley, Mark Lauretti and John McKinney is simple- do you, or do you not, support the Tea Party?” asked Nancy DiNardo, Connecticut Democratic Party Chairwoman.  “All of you stood in support of the Tea Party government shutdown that cost Connecticut’s recovery thousands of jobs and millions of dollars, so Connecticut needs to know if you will continue to stand with the Tea Party even after your national leaders have disavowed them.”

Background:

New London Day Editorial: “None Of The Republicans Running For Governor Could Bring Themselves To Renounce The Extremists” That “Shut Down The Government.” In October 2013, the New London Day wrote in an editorial, “And now, there are signs of this infection spreading to Connecticut. During the recent crisis over the attempt by the Tea Party Republicans controlling the House to shut down the government if they couldn’t change Obamacare, none of the Republicans running for governor could bring themselves to renounce the extremists. Tom Foley, the 2010 Republican nominee, even said, ‘I support what they’re doing.'” [New London Day Editorial, 10/28/13]

CT Politics Blog: Foley “Stood With The House GOP” On The Government Shutdown. According to the CT Politics blog, “The congressional impasse over Obamacare that brought the federal government to a screeching halt Tuesday has created a schism among some of the Republican contenders for governor. Tom Foley, who is eyeing a rematch with Democrat Dannel P. Malloy in 2014, stood with the House GOP caucus and Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio,  on their attempt to force Congress to delay the start of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act. ‘I blame the president and I blame Harry Reid,’ Foley, the 2010 GOP nominee for governor, said of the controversial shutdown.” [Hearst Media, CT Politics Blog, 10/1/13]

McKinney Attended Tea Party Rally. Capitol Watch reported in April 2011 that, “An estimated 750 tea partiers descended upon the state Capitol Friday to complain about Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s $1.9 billion tax package… Senate Republican leader John McKinney of Fairfield also attended the rally, saying he was there to listen and not to address the crowd.” [Capitol Watch, 4/15/2011]

Boughton Attended Tea Party Meeting. [Quiet Corner Tea Party Patriots, 12/1/13]

Foley Attended 2010 Tea Party Event. In April 2010, Foley participated in a New Haven Tea Party event on the day tax returns were due.  Foley was one of over 25 candidates to participate in “Candidates Alley,” which gave candidates for public office at all levels the opportunity to speak with voters about their platforms.  (CT News Blog Web Site, “Tax Day Tea Party,” April 13, 2010)

Foley Praised “Tea Party People;” Acknowledged Importance of Movement (2010). On February 9, 2010, Foley praised the “tea party people” and acknowledged the importance of their movement.  Foley spoke at a candidates’ forum in Canton, Connecticut, when he said that he had noticed a shift in voters’ attitudes in the summer of 2009 from one of confusion to one of anger over “big government and big spending.”  (YouTube Web Site, “**Tom Foley in Canton** Candidates Forum Feb. 9, 2010.wmv,” www.youtube.com)

Foley Marched With A Tea Party Group At A Veterans Day Parade. According to the Hartford Courant, “Candidates in Connecticut are taking notice, especially after Tea Party volunteers helped propel Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown to the U.S. Senate. Tom Foley, a Republican running for governor, marched alongside a Tea Party contingent at the Veterans Day parade in Hartford last year. And Simmons, who has boasted that he carried a tea bag in his pocket, attended Tea Party rallies in New Haven and Norwich.” [Hartford Courant, 2/9/10]

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