Washtenaw Republicans Hide from Public

Posted: Jul 13, 2012 at 1:16 PM [Jul 13, 2012]

The local Republican headquarters on Washtenaw in Pittfield Township, didn't wait to see how many people would show up today at noon.  MoveOn.org sponsored a nationwide letter drop addressed to Mitt Romney seeking him to release years of tax records like all major cacndiates have done since his father's time.  

When a tiny [independent] woman showed up a few minutes early, she found the door locked and persons inside refusing to answer the door. The storefront had a receptacle near the door for messages, etc. [in addiition to the nearby locked mailboxes for the mall stores. ]  When she tried to put her letter in the box, she discovered that it was taped shut with strips of straping tape. The young man who had previously ignored her, now came outside and called the police for help. A huge crowd of one person was at his door!

When I later approached the young man, now standing with arms folded guarding the locked door, and tried to give him my letter, he refused. When I touched my finger to the taped box, he yelled for the police! I apparently had improperly abused private property. 

Two squad cars had been sent in answer to his frightened Republican summons to cope with the quiet crowd of now five people standing nearby.

We were told that it was private property and any demonstrating would have to be on the street sidewalk well away from the Republican office.  

I started my political life in the late 1950s as an acitve worker for George Romney and in the Republican Party when "liberal" and "progressive" were proud Michgian Republican labels. George, unafraid, took his campaign deep into Democratic territories.  Mitt's supporters now hide behind locked doors becasue they have no answers as to why their candidate refuses to be open about how he made his fortune. Very different persons!

It is little wonder that the once Republican Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County is now so Democratic. 

I will happily to match Mitt Romney year for year in tax returns -- charity, business expenses and all.  How about it?

Morris Taber

Ann Arbor