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Co-Founder Leaves Tea Party Patriots

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    Tea Party Patriots Co-Founder Mark Meckler on the factors leading to his decision to leave the organization.

  • Duration 3:56
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My next guest co-founder and one of the country's most influential Tea Party groups the largest organization -- in the Tea Party movement the Tea Party patriots.

Today he abruptly analyses -- the organization over differences of opinion in its direction.

Mark -- or is the author of the brand new book Tea Party patriots -- second American revolution.

In fact he's the coauthor along with Jenny Beth Martin it sounds like first mark good to have you here.

Sounds like you and Jenny Beth just reached the end of the trail by component that waiver that.

-- -- -- -- Well you know it's just different and I difference in philosophy and approach it's not really abrupt it's been coming over a long period of time.

I mean can -- -- look at me I'm just a regular guy cowboy grassroots -- for me it was about the way the money was being spent in the organization to focus is really a big national -- events.

But for me it was about trying to direct money to the grassroots and that's what I'll be engaged -- also be working with grassroots all across the country.

Michaels to help them build self governance infrastructure all across.

The country.

You know I -- I've -- appreciate the smiley face everybody's putting put on this but apparently.

The of the board has decided back in November that there were going to give more powers to Jenny Beth Martin you weren't too happy you don't like the finances you -- -- -- structure.

-- -- -- -- -- I mean how are energized and -- can you believe something that your so we're in such disagreement with the that you leave.

Well I don't I don't think it's fair to say I don't like the organization and I think anybody who likes he pretty picture -- what they're doing should stay involved I think it's so vital piece of the Tea Party movement.

It just wasn't right place for me any longer I just have a different philosophy in a different approach to the movement.

How many go I don't work on that people have followed out of mark -- -- dot com but it's not.

There's no ongoing fight between Tea Party patriots -- mark -- by any means I still support them and what they're doing.

Just a different approach to the movement.

A different approach to the movement and is -- back or -- into -- -- -- as you know there are hundreds of Tea Party and organizations around the country.

Are you gonna start your own.

I'll know have -- -- -- any great Tea Party organizations out -- people wanna be involved in that that's not wanna -- and it ought.

Have no intent to set up competing organizations really it's not necessary out there.

Frankly -- groups on the ground all across the country thousands of them are doing -- great job of being tea parties.

All I wanna do is get out there and help them help them raise funds help them build infrastructure.

So it has nothing to do with competing with the -- -- -- I'm not gonna start another -- -- -- Did you have a disagreement with the Tea Party patriots Jenny Beth Martin the board.

All over whether or not to focus on local and state racist mercilessly presidential guard congressional and senate races.

Was that any part of the equation.

Well I would say probably only a small part I think it is the biggest disagreement was just whether the focus you know in my opinion the focus should -- -- On the local grassroots organizers and putting the money where it's needed in the local groups.

Instead of spending money on big fancy national that's that's really one of the big distinctions I think you can make an argument for either.

And I just didn't like the direction so I just chose to go a different way.

Going a different -- still supporting the Tea Party movement and even believe the patriots.

Organization itself.

Who do you think that the Tea Party will make a profound difference in.

In the outcome of the -- firstly the primary election for the Republicans and -- the the contest between President Obama and whomever is nominated.

I -- I think you're already seeing the tea parties are active all across the country and local chapters directive at the City Council level all the way up to the presidential level.

And it's gonna be on both sides and there something out there that T seventy partners support of the campaign for primary accountability.

The goal of that -- to -- fifty incumbent Republicans and fifty incumbent Democrats.

In the primaries so we actually have an effect in the primaries so I think you're gonna see a tremendous change in 2012 it is going to be driven by the tea parties.

While America thanks much for being -- good -- thank you for.