WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- A leader of the U.S. Tea Party said Sunday linking the populist movement to wealthy conservative donors was a smear attempt by the political establishment.
Sal Russo, chief strategist for the Tea Party Express, said on CBS's "Face the Nation" that the image of shadowy business moguls pulling the strings of the movement was the latest falsehood aimed at discrediting it members and candidates.
He said the Tea Party has been labeled a refuge for crackpots and racists but has continued to grown by maintaining a focus on reining in the government.
"This movement keeps growing because it grows on the fundamental principle that unites all the Tea Party movements, and that is a belief that the federal government has become too big, too intrusive, with the accompanying higher taxes, onerous regulations, higher deficits, and a skyrocketing national debt." Russo said.
Russo also said that his California-based organization by law cannot accept corporate contributions or individual donations larger than $5,000.
