Calling Jeff Miller, Redux

Open Letter to Jeff Miller Campaign

by Jane Bilello | Asheville Tea Party | 10/8/2010

This election is shaping up to be an historic one in America’s history. The Tea Party Movement has had a profound effect on the political landscape, as evidenced at the primaries across the country. It has taken blows from the left and from the right. Both camps would like the movement to disappear because it threatens their hold on power.

Tea Party activists strive to support those candidates who can demonstrate in word and action that they are advocates of individual rights, Constitutionally-limited government, fiscal responsibility, and free markets. We must get back to limited, Constitutional government. The only way to get there is to elect statesmen, not political hacks and anointed party favorites. This is the reason why Asheville Tea PAC and Independence Caucus requested that Jeff Miller, Republican running for Congress in District 11, submit to the Independence Caucus vetting process after the May 4th primary. ATPAC has had a half page ad in the Asheville Daily Planet requesting that he and his opponent Heath Shuler contact us. We have received no response.

There is a litany of requests to which Miller has not responded. Can we expect the same unresponsiveness from “Congressman Miller?”

The Buncombe County GOP ran an ad in the September 16th issue of The Asheville Tribune, published an announcement on their website, and planned well in advance for all GOP candidates to sign the “Pledge to Uphold the U.S. Constitution” on September 17th at the Buncombe County Court House. A photo of all of the GOP candidates present for the signing of the pledge appeared in the paper. Jeff Miller was notably absent.

Shortly thereafter, the National GOP issued the Pledge to America. As of this writing, despite requesting the following information, we have no knowledge that Jeff Miller has signed this pledge or that he supports it.

On September 30th, ATP chair Jane Bilello sent the following email to the Miller Campaign:

I note that Jeff Miller was unable to attend the recent GOP Constitution Pledge signing ceremony on September 17th in Asheville. I have a few questions for you about that from our members:

• What was Jeff Miller’s stated reason for his absence at the ceremony?
• Did Jeff Miller have a schedule conflict? Or was there another reason?
• Does Jeff Miller support the pledge?
• If Jeff Miller does not support the pledge, has he told you why not?
• If Jeff Miller does support the pledge, will he be sending you his signed pledge by mail?

Regarding the GOP Pledge to America:

• Does Jeff Miller support the GOP Pledge to America?
• If Jeff Miller does not support the pledge, has he told you why not?
• If he does support the pledge, will there be a press release?

Thanks for your help. We look forward to publishing your replies as soon as possible.

In two phone conversations, Bilello questioned two members of Miller’s campaign team on Miller’s absence from the BCGOP pledge signing on September 17th. They did not provide any answers.

The questions were first asked eight days ago. As yet, no one in the Miller campaign, including Jeff Miller himself, have been able to provide answers to ATPAC’s simple questions. Do they not know why he didn’t sign these pledges? Are they busy crafting a politically-correct answer? Does he simply not support either pledge?

For a man who has promised to be accessible and forthright, this refusal to answer questions about his commitment to the Constitution is surprising and troubling, to say the least. Shall we trade one inaccessible, non-commital Congressman for another? Why bother?

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