What’s the Reform Party been up to?
In January 2010, Central Intelligence Agency operations officer Charles S. Faddis announced his support of the party in The Baltimore Sun: “I have decided to throw in my lot with the Reform Party of the United States.”[25]
In February 2010, former Reform Party Chairman Pat Choate emerged to discuss the appeal of the Tea Party movement, contrasting it with Ross Perot’s party, saying: “The difference with the Tea Party is it’s been heavily pushed by a bunch of talk-show conservatives. You have the Republican Party attempting to use this as a means to pull independents or conservative independents to their policies, to their agenda.”[26]
In February, Congressional candidates filed to run as Reform Party candidates in all four of Mississippi‘s congressional districts, but none for any statewide offices.[27] Among these are Barbara Dale Washer, Tracella Lou O’Hara Hill, and Anna Jewel Revies.[28]
In April 2010, Dan Quayle condemned the Reform Party on CBS, saying: “Many remember the Reform Party of the 1990s, which formed around the candidacy of Ross Perot. I sure do, because it eliminated any chance that President George H.W. Bush and I would prevail over Bill Clinton and Al Gore in 1992. Speaking on behalf of the Bush-Quayle campaign, to this day we firmly believe that Perot cost the Republican Party the White House.”[29]
Pat Choate again surfaced on April 28, 2010 to give an interview to Monmouth University‘s student newspaper. In it he remained suspicious of the Tea Party movement, saying: “At these [Tea Party] events, a professional Republican always speaks. What to me is questionable is that the Tea Parties endorse candidates, but never endorse Democrats—they seem to be a front for the Republican Party. We were seen as very serious. Perot gave millions, we fielded candidates, and we were a real threat to the status quo. The media treats the Tea Parties as a sign of dissatisfaction, and views them skeptically.”[30]
Kristin Davis, the Manhattan madam involved in the Elliot Spitzer scandal, announced on June 27, 2010 that she was running for Governor on the Reform Party ticket after failing to secure to Libertarian Party nomination. Davis condemned the Democrats and Republicans for catering to wealthy Caucasian males, saying: “Where are the women, the Hispanics, the African-Americans and the gay people? We must reject their tired old thinking….”[31] On June 29, 2010, Reform Party National Committee chairman David Collison sent Davis a cease-and-desist notice demanding that she immediately change the name under which she is seeking to run for Governor. Davis, who made no previous attempt to obtain permission to run as an official Reform Party candidate, quickly withdrew her use of the Reform Party name. Davis was never part of the Reform Party.[citation needed] She filed as an Independent Candidate by obtaining the 15,000 minimum signatures needed in New York State.[32]
So, what’s going on with the Reform Party?
#1: CIA guy throws his support for Reform Party. Hard to figure why, but to each their own.
#2: Perot’s less famous running mate gave speech where he dismissed the Tea Party as Republican front group.
#3:Â Four candidates ran in Mississippi, though didn’t get anywhere.
#4:Â Dan Quayle bitched about Ross Perot.
#5:Â Perot’s less famous running mate said his dismissal of the Tea Party again.
#6:Â The Madame that sold Eliot Spitzer prostitution service floated a run on the Reform Party, the Reform Party stopped her, which is odd because I thought she eventually ended up on the Libertarian line — but that’s only because Reason interviewed her.
So. There you go. The last six Reform Party news items, as determined by people who care.