The Council of Conservative Citizens (CofCC) loves the tea party movement and its candidates. They just can’t seem to get enough.
CofCC members at a recent event
What is most shocking and disturbing however is the extent to which Republican candidates for office have been courting the white nationalist organization.
It has been reported this week that Jason Sager, a Republican candidate for Congress in Florida’s Fifth District, will be attending the West Coast Council of Conservative Citizen’s “Freedom Rally” in Crystal River, FL this Saturday. Mr. Sager, who has been called “a ray of sunshine” by the Citrus County Tea Party, won support from the tea party movement for his pledge to restore the constitution and limit taxes. He intends to be the “conservative” choice in the upcoming Republican primary.
He also seems to have no problem associating himself with a well-known and well-established hate group.
The Council of Conservative Citizens has a long history fanning the flames of racism. The group is the reconstituted racist, segregationist White Citizens Council of the 1950’s and 1960’s. The group has called black people “a retrograde species of humanity,” opposes racial intermarriage, and believes the United States is a European, Christian nation.
It is not surprising though to see Mr. Sager’s involvement because the CofCC has been very active lately. Bragging publicly, the group boasts an increase in activism and turn-out at their events. A turn-out which has helped them to organize tea party rallies in several towns and cities including: Ripley, Mississippi; Roanoke, Virginia; and Crystal River, Florida (last October). At these events, The Council of Conservative Citizens has been recruiting new members from the tea party ranks. This is something that should worry us all.
While Jason Sager’s willingness to attend a CofCC event is very worrisome, he is also not alone.
Mr. Sager joins a small group of Republican Party candidates that have attended CofCC events or events where CofCC was recruiting in the past. It was reported, in Tennessee this past October, Candidate for State Representative (District 62) Chris Brown spoke to CofCC members and watched a film called “A Conversation About Race.” This past September, U.S Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite spoke at a Party event where members of the Florida West Coast CofCC recruiting members and distributing information. At another Tea Party rally in Florida this past January, rising tea party star Marco Rubio (for U.S. Senate) spoke at an event where the CofCC was recruiting.
It may be too soon to predict where this is all heading, but what is clear is that Jason Sager, Chris Brown, U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, and Marco Rubio all have one thing in common:
They’re not getting my vote.