For Immediate Release

Contact:  Don Adams, XXXXXXXXX

Association Leader Says Wasserman Schultz Knows Tea Party Not Responsible For Tuscan Shooting; Says DNC Head Exploiting Tragedy For Political Gain And Should Resign Post

Philadelphia, PA (January 12, 2012) -- At a New Hampshire Press Conference, yesterday, the Democratic National Committee Chair,

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, blamed the Tea Party for creating the climate which led to last year's shooting of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords in Tucson, Arizona.

"We need to make sure that we tone things down, particularly in light of the Tucson tragedy from a year ago, where my very good friend, Gabby Giffords -- who is doing really well, by the way, -- [was shot]," Debbie Wasserman Schultz said. "The discourse in America, the discourse in Congress in particular . . . has really changed, I'll tell you. I hesitate to place blame, but I have noticed it takes a very precipitous turn towards edginess and lack of civility with the growth of the Tea Party movement.

"After the 2010 election, when you had the Tea Party elect a whole lot of their supporters . . . you had town hall meetings they tried to takeover . . . when they disagree with you -- you're not just wrong -- you're the enemy."

"It's obvious that Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz is exploiting the Tucson tragedy -- in which several bystanders were killed and several more were injured -- for purely partisan political gain," said Association President, Teri Adams.

"Wasserman Schultz and the Democrats know very well that the perpetrator of the Tucson shooting was an unstable individual with left wing sympathies,

someone whose world views were more Occupy than Tea Party.

"The fact that this murderous rampage is being used to discredit and defame a movement that had nothing to with it is extremely despicable.

The obvious goal of Wasserman Schultz is to render the Tea Party movement impotent for the 2012 election." 

"That's simply not going to happen.  The Tea Party will unite around the Republican nominee, whoever it is, to defeat President Barack Obama.  Wasserman Schultz is unwittingly helping to unite us," said Ms. Adams.     

"If a Tea Party leader were to blame the Democrats or Occupy for this kind of a tragedy, he or she would rightfully receive the wrath of every editorial board and every pundit in the nation.  That individual would then be forced to apologize and step down from his or her post.

"With that in mind, Wasserman Schultz should apologize and then step down as DNC Chair," Ms. Adams concluded.

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