Bachmann riles New Jersey Tea Partiers with robo-calling

Rep. Michele Bachmann is taking heat from New Jersey Tea Partiers for recording robo-calls for the non-Tea Party candidate, Rep. Chris Smith, in that state’s 4th Congressional District. Critics fault Smith for votes on cap and trade, union card checks and a statehood bill for Puerto Rico, which he cosponsored. Smith’s opponent, Alan Bateman, says that Bachmann sold out the Tea Party. The Republican primary in New Jersey is June 8.

“Michelle Bachmann has betrayed the Tea Party movement,” wrote Bateman in a statement on his campaign website. “Bachmann showed her true colors in that she is nothing more than a politician using the Tea Party movement for her own advancement. She has shown her lack of principles and integrity by supporting Chris Smith who has clearly been ignoring the Constitution as evidenced by his voting record.”

Bateman has the backing of the North New Jersey Tea Party Group and won a Bayshore Tea Party straw poll vote earning him an endorsement.

“Michelle Bachmann is a typical politician in putting politics over principle,” he said. “This is what they do in Washington. The party circles the wagons around sitting members regardless of that Congressman’s record.”

Here’s audio of Bachmann’s robo-call.

Bachmann’s support for Smith has garnered criticism from several Tea Party bloggers. Garden State Patriot called the move a “disappointment” and said Bachmann was a “shill” for Smith. The libertarian candidate in the race, Joe Siano, penned this letter to Bachmann’s office then posted it to Resistnet.com:

Dear Madam,

I am a NJ District 4 voter and I cannot tell you how disappointed I am that you have endorsed our Congressman, Chris Smith.

I have cheered for you at Tea Party rallies because I thought that you were a true believer in conservative values. If the Tea Party movement means anything, it means an end to business-as-usual politics where party trumps principle.

Smith is a classic “progressive” Republican. He voted for Cap and Trade, sponsored Card Check, has voted for tax increases and bailouts and is unsupportive of Second Amendment rights. It because of politicians like him, that I cannot be a Republican.

We have a Constitutional Conservative Republican running in the Primary against Smith. His name is Alan Bateman. I suggest that you check him out ASAP and publicly correct your misplaced endorsement of Smith before the polls open tomorrow.

Just to fair, let me disclose that I am the Libertarian Party candidate in this District. Naturally, I’ll be voting for myself come November. Nonetheless, I want you to understand that Bateman is a far better choice to represent the freedom loving people of District 4 than Congressman Smith.

Sincerely,
Joe Siano