Civil Rights Leaders Call for Tea Party Officials to Oust South Carolina Party Official

Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable

August 24, 2011

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Earl Ofari Hutchinson

323-383-6145

Press Advisory

Civil Rights Leaders Call for Tea Party Officials to Oust South Carolina Party Official for Threatening “Joke” Against President and Michelle Obama

Sumter County Tea Party leaders Email Addresses Released

Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable President Earl Ofari Hutchinson and a coalition of civil rights leaders on Tuesday, August 23 called on National Tea Party Leaders and Sumter County, South Carolina Tea Party officials to demand the immediate resignation of Sumter County Chairperson Shery Lanford Smith. Smith posted a widely circulated Facebook “joke” that called for throwing President and Michelle Obama out of a plane.

Though the posting was pulled from Facebook, Smith did not apologize and still remains the chair of the Sumter County Party. A joke that calls for bodily harm to the President is an implied threat against the president, and must be treated as a serious offense.

The contact information and email addresses of Sumter County Tea Party officials were posted for action.      

http://www.teapartypatriots.org/Contact.aspx

mark@teapartypatriots.org
jennybethm@gmail.com

“The Tea Party claims its movement is not racist and does not encourage violent acts willfully or otherwise against President Obama,” says Hutchinson, “Tea Party officials can prove that by immediately demanding the resignation of Smith.”

Endorsed by

Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable

NAACP National Board Member Willis Edwards

Youth Advocacy Coalition

Black Ministerial Alliance

Los Angeles Civil Rights Assn.

National Action Network West Coast

Black Womens Coalition