The Rise and Fall of the LV Tea Party

On Friday, I had lunch with Lou Hershman, who is running for Allentown City Controller against an opponent with no experience, no education and no independence. For over thirty years, Hershman served Allentown as a Controller and Council person. Even now, he's a thorn in the side of most Council members with incessant questions and points about the Queen City's budget deficit.

Hershman will likely be defeated this Fall, not because he is the weaker candidate, but because he's a Republican in a city ruled by Democrats. The Fleckster, who has been tapped by Pawlowski to run the campaign for Hershman's opponent, will dredge union halls and homeless shelters on election day. That little army will march up and down the streets with fliers, as well as man the polls. A dedicated and knowledgeable candidate will likely lose to a person whose chief attribute is that she is a Pawlowski puppet.

It's a similar story in Bethlehem. Three Republicans - Al Bernotas, Tom Carroll and Tony Simao - are waging an uphill battle for three seats on City Council. Like Lou, they've been attending meetings for years. Now their Democratic opponents - Bob Donchez, Mike Recchiuti and J. William Reynolds - are very good candidates, too. But in a City dominated by Democrats and unions that can get out the vote, the GOP trio has virtually no chance in a race that should be closer.

What could change this?

The LV Tea Party. Locally, I saw it as the only group willing to speak up for the one special interest forgotten by politicians - the taxpayer.

During Lehigh County's recent budget hearings, they were a constant and vocal presence. They also took part in the discussion of the bi-county health bureau, and even appeared at several Northampton County Council meetings. Tony Simao, who films and posts Bethlehem City Council meetings on his own YouTube channel, is one of them. They're becoming regulars at local school boards. I even spotted one of them at a  Hellertown Borough Council budget meeting late last year.

But as suddenly as they rose, so they have fallen. Founder Kim Schmidtner at one time boasted there were over 1,300 members. But at a meeting in early June, the tea party established a quorum with just 57 people. People have lost interest. Perhaps it was inevitable, as is the case with most grassroots groups. One thing is clear. The arbitrary actions of its leadership have accelerated the process.

Their so-called "unofficial" blog - maintained by a loyal member of its top heavy executive board - is not-so-strangely silent on the subject. Instead of encouraging individuality, the party is hamstrung by rules enforced by bullies like Joe Hilliard, the intolerant Maximillien Robespierre of Lehigh Valley conservatives. His history is that he destroys every group he joins.

So I'll tell you myself about the disintegration of the LV Tea Party. It probably means I'll be excommunicated again, but I don't really give a shit. I attended its divisive monthly meeting on August 5. It was supposed to be a frank discussion among members about the party's future direction and a revelation of the "inner turmoil" that has "crippled" the group.

The first thing I noticed when I entered was a large collection of tables at the front of the room, behind which Robespierre's Committee of Public Safety - the executive board - was seated.

Instead of promoting an honest exchange of views, Acting Chair Tom McFadden did his best to stifle discussion. He announced that the executive board would be monitoring conversations on their forum with more intensity. He cut some people off, refused to recognize others and prevented people from talking. When I tried to make my point about candidates who need help, and they include tea party members like Ronnie DelBacco, I was interrupted so much that it would have been better not to have been there at all.

And that's what happened. Many people, some of them first-timers, began walking out, vowing to never return. "You sound like the God-damned Democrats," complained one rank-and-file member to McFadden.

In addition to stifling dissent, McFadden allowed Robespierre Hilliard to drone on and give an arrogant defense of an attempt to seek his ouster, in advance of a hearing scheduled for later that evening.

Over the past several weeks, there have been numerous resignations. Founder Kim Schmidtner herself has resigned, first as Chair, and then as a member. Executive Committee strongman Bryan Eichfeld, who claims he learned everything he knows from Hilliard, blames personal attacks from the membership.

But others have stepped down as well, objecting to the divisive and bullying tactics from an authoritarian executive board being piloted by Hilliard.

Joan Campbell, the Secretary and backbone of this group, resigned as Secretary and as a member of the Executive Board after being called "naive" and "dense" by Hilliard. Ronnie DelBacco, an Easton School Board candidate, got tired of the nonsense, too. Donna Rovito stepped down from the Health Care Reform Committee even though she is perhaps the most knowledgeable voice, conservative or liberal, on the topic in this area. "There is no room in a grassroots organization for egos or dictatorial pronouncements, yet two members of the Executive Board in particular have crossed too many lines, and fractured the leadership of this organization to the point that in order to carry out the work I believe MUST be carried out to ensure America's health."

After the August 5 meeting, I expect to see the LV Tea Party fade away. It has arrogantly conducted meetings without even bothering to acknowledge the presence of prominent attendees like Doug Reichley, Dean Browning, Ron Angle and Charlie Dent. And although it has never filed for IRS status as a nonprofit, it refuses to engage in the political process, hurting good people who care about their government. Instead of a potent political force, it has devolved into a Book of the Month Club.

In addition to allowing Hilliard to present a defense before a hearing on charges that he violated by-laws, several executive board members insisted on speaking in his defense when the Hilliard expulsion finally got underway, and many members had already walked out. Board member Bryan Eichfled was incensed that I was chosen to present the charges against Hilliard since, according to him, my sole purpose in being there is to splinter the group. This is the same intolerant nut job who wanted Northampton County Council to sign a kooky limited government resolution that would essentially prevent the federal government from funding anything besides the Defense Department. Even arch-conservative Pat Toomey refused to sign that nonsense.

As for my motivations, any group that fails to be accountable or transparent should be splintered. A group that discourages the very kind of individual freedom upon which this country was founded, should be discarded. It makes no difference to me whether it is the Northampton County Democratic Committee or the LV Tea Party.

Mat Benol, the LV Tea Party's original chair, has already formed another group, TEA-LV.

Will it catch fire? We'll see.

Nationally, the tea party is a potent political force. But here in the Lehigh Valley, they prefer to discuss Ayn Rand books to death.