CONCORD, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, FreedomWorks will join a coalition of 12 New Hampshire liberty groups for a press conference at 5:30pm in Rollins Park to protest Mitt Romney’s participation in the Tea Party Express “Reclaiming America” tour. FreedomWorks ended its involvement in the tour earlier this week, following the participation of big-government Republican Senator Orrin Hatch (UT), and the announcement of Mitt Romney’s invitation to headline the Sunday event.
The coalition of 12 will include the Lakes Region TEA Party, Republican Liberty Caucus of NH, Raymond TEA Party, Granite State Patriots Liberty PAC, and the Upper Valley TEA Party, many of whom insist there have been no efforts from the Romney camp to reach out to tea party activists in New Hampshire.
“Governor Romney, where have you been?” asks Jerry DeLemus, Chairman of the Granite State Patriots Liberty PAC. “We have requested you meet and talk with New Hampshire’s liberty groups many times since you announced, and heard nothing. Taking pictures in front of a tea party bus is nothing more than a photo opportunity and we refuse to be used as anyone’s political prop.”
“Mitt Romney's record stands in stark contrast to what the tea party stands for. We want smaller government, he grew government. We want more freedom, he engineered a government-run health care system with an individual mandate. We want free markets, he supports manipulating markets. And so today we stand against Governor Romney and his phony claim that he represents the tea party,” commented Andrew Hemingway, head of the Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire.
Tim Carter, Co-Leader of the Lakes Region Tea Party adds, “The New Hampshire liberty groups standing here today are looking for a candidate who puts policy over politics, and consistently advocates limited government and more freedom. I do not trust Governor Romney’s commitment to these principles, and we cannot afford a leader who makes decisions based on what is popular, rather than what is necessary.”
FreedomWorks plans to peacefully demonstrate with the local New Hampshire groups prior to Mitt Romney's speech starting at 6pm, and to distribute a seven-page document outlining his long record of advocating government growth and fiscal irresponsibility, titled, "The Issue with Romney is the Issues."
“This is an objection to Romney’s record on key tea party issues such as health care, the TARP bailouts and environmental regulation,” explained Matt Kibbe, President of FreedomWorks. “Romney’s refusal to distance himself from his past support for big-government programs and regulation is evidence that his efforts to connect with the tea party are insincere and a political ploy. FreedomWorks is here to help our activists in New Hampshire set the record straight that Mitt Romney can stand behind a tea party podium, but that does not make him a tea party candidate.”
For more information on the Mitt Romney protest, please contact FreedomWorks Media Coordinator Jackie Bodnar at 202-603-2108 or jbodnar@freedomworks.org.