Recently a letter was sent out by Gregory Diaz to his supporters using inflammatory language about the tea party movement, as a fund raising appeal. (Read his letter) Among other things, he accused the tea party movement of being "politically charged and highly partisan," and that we were involved in helping "out of county interests" who favor his opponent in Nevada County. In Nevada County, when you talk about the tea party movement, you are referring to the Tea Party Patriots. As you are aware, we do not support or oppose any candidate. But that doesn't mean we will sit back and allow ourselves to be attacked and inaccurately portrayed by any political candidate without issuing an appropriate response.

We do expect candidates to tell the truth when they speak about our movement, and when they do not, we will speak out about it. The fact is, we are a non-partisan organization and are not politically charged and highly partisan as demonstrated in our recent, well run and universally appreciated candidate forum in Grass Valley. Mr. Diaz attended that function, and has experienced this for himself. He knows better than to accuse us of being politically charged and highly partisan. We will not sit idly by and let candidates for office try to use inflammatory language and what are at best half truths and distortions, to inspire his supporters to give him money.

Mr. Diaz is trying to tarnish his opponent by stating that he is a "leader" of the Nevada County Tea Party Patriots. First, the idea that Mr. Diaz would attempt to tarnish someone by associating them with the tea party movement is offensive. As we understand it, all residents of the county are Mr. Diaz's constituents. He should understand basic etiquette better than to come out swinging against thousands of citizens of his own county who consider themselves affiliated with the tea party movement.

According a recent field poll, 30% of Californians say they are either affiliated, or closely affiliated with the tea party movement. In Nevada County, that means roughly 27,000 citizens. As of April 21, 2009 there are 25,601 registered Republicans, 12,184 decline to state, and 21,548 registered Democrats. Recent surveys show that 40% of tea partiers are either Democrats or Independents. To whom is he trying to appeal with this inflammatory rhetoric? Certainly not to all voters.

As we understand it, Clerk/Recorder is a non-partisan office. Why is Mr. Diaz trying to insert the idea of partisanship into this race? Doesn't he intend to convince all of us, of all political affiliations that he is the best candidate? Or is he just out there trying to appeal to people who are prejudiced against their neighbors who are involved in the tea party movement? The tea party is made up of your neighbors, friends, employers, teachers and relatives. We are doctors, farmers, contractors, lawyers, clerks, public employees and business owners in Nevada County. Is he accusing all these upstanding, tax-paying citizens of being "politically charged and highly partisan?"

As the incumbent, Mr. Diaz claims to have cut the budget and reformed his office, which theoretically should be very appealing to tea partiers. So why is he attacking the tea party movement, when he should be engaging with us in a dialogue about what he has done, and can do for Nevada County? Is he that out of touch? Does he believe that hyperbole and inflammatory rhetoric serves him better than open dialogue about ideas and philosophy?

Additionally, Mr. Diaz claims that his opponent, Barry Pruett, is a "tea party leader." Barry Pruett has attended tea parties, and even helped organize some volunteers for the July 4, 2009 Grass Valley parade. He even wrote an article last year in a newsletter talking about the tea parties. But it is nothing more than DC style "spin" to call Mr. Pruett a "tea party leader." While many others locally can be accurately called a "tea party leader," in the traditional sense of leadership because of the time and effort they have been able to contribute to the movement, Mr. Pruett simply and factually is not that involved. Those of you who are involved locally know that to be the case. But apparently Mr. Diaz felt it would somehow positively inflame his donors to give more money to his campaign as the incumbent, if he could convince them that Mr. Pruett was a "leader" of the "politically charged and highly partisan Tea Party movement."

This email is not intended as an endorsement of any candidate, or as taking a position against any other. It is simply an attempt to put the record straight. Mr. Diaz came out and attacked the tea party movement, and a response was warranted. The thousands of citizens in Nevada County who consider themselves part of the tea party movement deserve more respectful treatment from the incumbent Clerk/Recorder in a non-partisan race in our small, rural county. We are a polite, friendly, rural county, and a lot of citizens would like to keep it that way. All of them deserve a basic level of respect from all candidates in every race.

Read Gregory Diaz letter:
http://www.nctpp.org/Library/Diaz.pdf

Read Mark Meckler's letter to The Union editor in response to the attack by Gregory Diaz:
http://www.nctpp.org/Library/Meckler.pdf

Please be sure to ask all of the the candidates for local office the questions that matter to you. Educate yourself, make certain you are registered, and then vote. It's more important than ever!

Respectfully,
Stan Meckler, President
Nevada County Tea Party Patriots