Tea party dissension a sign of 'growing pains?'

Suffolk County's tea party last summer lit a firecracker - which proponents say was heard 'round the world - when it protested at a Setauket forum held by Democratic Rep. Tim Bishop.

And early this year, the protest groups made their presence felt working as one with the GOP and Conservatives in the special election where one of their own, Republican Dean Murray, won special election for state Assembly.

But lately, the tea party seems to be suffering growing pains, clashing with major and minor party allies over Congressional races. In the second district, the GOP picked national cable pundit Sean Hannity's best pal John Gomez to take on Rep. Steve Israel over Iraq vet Steve Labate, a tea party activist, now weighing a primary.

And Conservative chairman Edward Walsh's decision to back controversial millionaire Randy Altschuler in the 1st District, has brought calls from tea party leaders for Walsh's resignation. They've also vowed to picket Altschuler and Walsh events as they have done to Bishop.

The tumult is raising questions about whether local tea party efforts are becoming frayed, but backers say differences simply show that no one controls them. "They are sort of the conscience of the party, holding everyone accountable, making the parties explain their positions," said Murray from Albany.

Despite its name, the tea party is not a party, but a movement made up of loosely affiliated groups, free to go their own way and often do.

Steve Flanagan, head of the Conservative Society for Action said tea party people are concerned about the GOP choice of Gomez over Labate, but concedes it was "a close call" since both are staunch Conservatives. The divide over Altschuler is far deeper, because tea party people say he exported jobs to Asia as founder of the firm Office Tiger and once belonged to the liberal Green Party.

But while tea party members are united against Altschuler, they're split on whom to back, dissipating their clout.

If they oppose Altschuler on the Conservative line, they have to find a registered Conservative to run. And if successful, that candidate would remain on the ballot in November, indirectly helping Bishop by splitting the opposition vote.

"Given the tea party has made clear their objections to outsourcer Randy Altschuler, the Republican primary is going to be a key test of tea party's strength," said Jon Schneider, Bishop's spokesman.

Altschuler's camp appears unperturbed. "America's a free country and everyone can have their own opinion," Rob Ryan, an Altschuler consultant, said. "We know for a fact that Randy Altschuler has the message, money and momentum to become the Republican nominee."

But tea party ire at Conservatives has turned personal. Suffolk County 9-12 Project last week ousted Brookhaven Conservative leader Richard Johannesen by e-mail. Tea party leaders also say Conservative backing of Altschuler is based on money. He's given $12,625 to the minor party and its candidates - more than one-third of what he has ladled out locally. "If Judas sold his soul for 30 pieces of silver, how much did Ed Walsh sell his for?" asked Frank Seabrook, who blogs the tea party Suffolk County Liberty Report.

Edward Walsh, Suffolk Conservative chairman bristles at such talk, noting he invited tea party leaders to party candidate screenings, though they didn't show. "Some time you have to make tough decisions," Walsh said. "You may disagree with me, but disagree on facts, not made-up stories."

Some tea party leaders say there is still time for all sides to come together. Even Johannesen was conciliatory. "They are new to the process and sometimes when you're new, you overreact," he said, "They are going through some growing pains, but they'll learn."