By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune managing editor
The Grassroots Tea Party of Boone County is no more.
The followers that broke away from the Boone County Tea Party to form a separate group in 2010 held their last meeting Oct. 12 at SubStation II on Dream Street in Florence.
A message on the group’s Facebook page encouraged supporters to continue the group’s effort to elect candidates with views consistent with its values:
“As we have experienced more than once over the years, organizations that you give yourself to voluntarily have a finite life. The past seven years of weekly meetings, rallies, road trips (to D.C., Frankfort, Fancy Farm, etc.), events (Day of Resistance, Read the Declaration on the 4th, etc.), protests (3 Benghazi, Overpasses to Impeach Obama, etc.) sign waves for candidates, parades and more, have literally become a large part of our lives.
“While we celebrate these past years we also recognize the need to devote time to other endeavors. Vic (Altherr) will of course continue his involvement at Boone County Fiscal Court and Planning Commission.
“Although Monday was the last meeting of Grassroots Tea Party, we strongly encourage you to put your energy into electing candidates who reflect the Tea Party values of Limited Government, Free Markets and Fiscal Responsibility. As discussed at last night’s meeting, we plan to donate our treasury monies to organizations we want to support such as Hillsdale College, (Disabled American Veterans and the American Center of Law and Justice ACLJ.
“Last but certainly not least, we want to express our deep gratitude to Mike Cartuyvelles of SubStation II. Mike has graciously offered us his restaurant every Monday night. Mike, we could not have done it without you.”
The message was signed by Grassroots Tea Party members Emily Shelton and Ann and Vic Altherr.
The Boone County Tea Party was formed in 2008 by as a group of individuals joined together in opposition to a proposed parks tax in Boone County. It soon became one of the most influential Tea Party organizations in the state.
The group rallied support to defeat the parks tax and is credited with helping to get U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, who is now vying for the GOP presidential nomination, and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Vanceburg, elected to their first terms.
Its members included Boone County Commissioner Cathy Flaig and current County Clerk Kenny Brown, who was elected to his first term in 2010 with strong Tea Party support.
Boone County Tea Party members were also regular visitors to Frankfort during state legislative sessions and kept members apprised on key votes and issues at the weekly meetings.
When the Grassroots supporters split off in 2010, some questioned whether Boone County was large enough to support two Tea Party groups.
Despite those concerns, the Grassroots Tea Party remained a prominent force in Boone County.
The group hosted a forum for Republican Judge-executive candidates at SubStation II in August 2013. The contentious forum, which included current Judge-executive Gary Moore and then-County Commissioner Matt Dedden, took place months before either candidate had officially filed for the office.
It also highlighted a wider chasm within the Boone County GOP among Tea Party loyalists and more mainstream Republicans, which seems to have diminished following the 2014 county elections.
Even as the popularity of Tea Party groups waned nationwide, however, the Grassroots Tea Party of Boone County continued to host prominent guest speakers.
Membership numbers for Tea Party groups have always been difficult to determine because affiliates have traditionally balked at being labeled a political organization. Attendance at meetings that featured high-profile speakers such as Massie, however, filled the Dream Street restaurant to capacity.
While attendance at weekly meetings had diminished from the group’s heyday, the Grassroots Tea Party maintained a loyal following and the decision to disband was abrupt and came as a surprise to some.
Under the umbrella of the Northern Kentucky Tea Party, individual groups in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties meet collectively once a month and the individual county groups also meet regularly.
Those meetings are expected to continue.
Mark Hansel can be reached at mark.hansel@nkytrib.com
There was just a few people that started the TEA party movement in Boone County, but there is only one person that is the founder and this would be me!!!! I started the Boone County TEA party which this group branch off! I was the one that had the nerve to stand up for our country! I was the one that was called names, split on, and almost was hit in the face bc I was standing up for our country! I was the one that had the very first TEA party rally in Boone County! I would think the person that wrote this article would have done more research!!!!!!! I am not hiding. If you don’t believe you could have called the DOJ, I was or maybe still is label as homeland terrorist!