Category: Independence Hall Foundation

A newly formed conservative organization, the Independence Hall Foundation has named  Tom Smith as 2013 Patriot of the Year and Pennsylvania State Representative Stephen Barrar (R-160) as 2013 Legislator of the Year.

The Independence Hall Foundation was formed this year as an organization dedicated to the values and principles enunciated in the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

Tom Smith, 66, a former elected official and successful businessman from Armstrong County, PA, best known for his bid to oust incumbent Bob Casey from the US Senate, was chosen for his “decades long commitment to the principles of the Founders,” said Foundation spokeswoman, Teri Adams.

“Over the course of his lifetime, Mr. Smith has dedicated himself to serving the community and the state of Pennsylvania.  He has generously contributed to reformed-minded, non-profit organizations, such as the Commonwealth Foundation, which advocate for improvements in government and our free market economy.

“More importantly, we recognize the character of Mr. Smith as a caring family man.  He and his wife, Saundy, have raised 7 children, four of whom were adopted,” said Ms. Adams.

“As a teenager, Mr. Smith sacrificed an opportunity to attend college in order to run the family business after his father became ill.

“Tom Smith has always led by example–just as our nation’s founders–and he is certainly a Patriot in their mold.”

The Independence Hall Foundation has also selected State Representative Stephen Barrar, who represents parts of Chester and Delaware County, PA as its 2013 Legislator of the year.

Rep. Barrar, prior small business owner, former Township Commissioner, and U.S. Navy, retired, is now serving in his sixth term in the Pennsylvania House.

“We are most grateful to Rep. Barrar for his advocacy of Voter ID reform, liquor control privatization, and his efforts to stop runaway taxation most recently evidenced in the 2013 PA Transportation Bill,” said Ms. Adams.

“Rep. Barrar, like Tom Smith, is also as successful businessman and dedicated family man.  He is a man of character, who has also been named an honorary member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart for his support of disabled veterans.

The honors were presented at the Fifth Annual Christmas Tea Party held Dec. 27 by the Independence Hall Tea Party Association, at the Omni Hotel. The even was held on the 240th Anniversary of the Philadelphia Tea Party when a crowd of 8,000 kept the British ship Polly  from unloading 697 chests of tea.

WPHT talk show host Dom Giordano reprised his role as Dr. Benjamin Rush, with Association board member John Peteraf playing Captain Ayers of the Polly and Jason DeCesare being the narrator.

Music was provided by the Whitehall Guard Fife and Drum, and Association board member Trudy Beckschi who played Christmas carols on the hotel’s grand piano.

Also on hand was Congressman Jon Runyan (R-NJ3) who was introduced by Association Board Member William Green IV, 2013 NJ US Senate Candidate Dr. Alieta Eck and 2013 Philadelphia Republican District Attorney candidate Danny Alverez.

Independence Hall Foundation Honors Barrar, Smith

This is a message sent Oct. 3 by Teri Adams of the Independence Hall Tea Party Association.

Dear Members and Friends,

There have been ‘mainstream’ media reports that many of our Region’s Republican Congressmen are willing to caucus with House Democrats to end the government shutdown by passing a clean Continuing Resolution bill–thereby throwing in the towel.

It appears that only a few of them, led by Congressman Charlie Dent, are willing to do so.

(The tri-state region is represented by PA Republican Congressmen Lou Barletta, Charlie Dent, Mike Fitzpatrick, Jim Gerlach, Pat Meehan, Joe Pitts, Scott Perry and NJ Congressmen Leonard Lance, Frank LoBiondo, Jon Runyan, and Chris Smith.)

We have good reason to believe that most of them, despite how they might personally feel, will remain loyal to the House Republican Caucus and see the CR process through to its logical conclusion.

However, in the very near future, the Continuing Resolution phase will have to give way to
the Debt Ceiling negotiations.

As Senator Pat Toomey and others have advised us, it is during this phase that House Republicans will have the upper hand–we should win some important concessions on
ObamaCare and other government fiscal issues.

Independence Hall Tea Party PAC President Don Adams will discuss “Does Christie Have Coat-tails?  Can Republicans Win the Jersey Senate and Assembly” with the Cherry Hill Tea Party, 7 p.m., Sept. 9 at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 520 S. Kings Highway, Cherry Hill, N.J, 08034

It’s free and open to the public.

Clinton Liberty Medal — The new  Independence Hall Foundation will denounce Philadelphia’s Liberty Medal bestowment upon  disgraced former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a “What Difference Does It Make” press conference, 4 p.m., Sept. 10 on Independence Mall.

“As all of you undoubtedly know, much of the blame for the Obama Administration’s failure to contain the Benghazi attack and the scandalous handling of its aftermath, can be traced directly to (then Secretary of State) Ms. Clinton,” said Teri Adams of the affiliated Independence Hall Tea Party Association. “Indeed, a Congressional investigation regarding Ms. Clinton’s role in the cover-up of the Administration’s failure is still ongoing.”

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will present the medal.

During the conference, the Foundation will name its choice of recipients for the  2013 Defender of Liberty Medal.

WPHT talk show host Dom Giordano will headline the presser and we certainly hope you will consider joining us.

A 5 p.m.,  Prayer Vigil for the victims of the Benghazi attack will immediately
follow the press conference.

Ms. Adams noted that , later that evening, Dom Giordano and WPHT are hosting an evening with a genuine American hero, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, at the Valley Forge Military Academy details for attending can be found here.  Attending this affair will be another way to counter the National Constitution Center ceremony, Ms. Adams said.

She also noted that Sept. 10 is the birthday of the Assocation’s co-founder, Don Adams.

Happy birthday, Don.

Clinton Liberty Medal

The Independence Hall Tea Party Association (IHTPA) PAC is making a final push for Dr. Alieta Eck to be the Republican nominee this October in the special election to fill the New Jersey U.S. Senate seat vacated by the death of Frank Lautenberg.

The seat is now filled by Jeff Chiesa, a liberal Republican appointed by Gov. Chris Christie, who is not seeking election.

Today’s primary election has Dr. Eck facing off against perennial candidate Steve Lonegan, who polls show losing to presumptive Democrat candidate Newark Mayor Corey Booker by 25 points according to Don Adams, president of the IHTPA- PAC.

“Our 27-member PAC Board of Delegates is very familiar with both Steve Lonegan and Alieta Eck,” said Adams.  “While we respect Mr. Lonegan, we greatly appreciate the intelligence and temperament of Dr. Eck.”

Adams says that those interested in helping Dr. Eck’s campaign should do this:

Go to http://syntrix.co/ and sign up for a free account. (NOTE: DO NOT use the Facebook login).

Once you have set up an account,  you can login and
1. Click on the “Campaigns” link from menu near the top of screen
2. Choose NJ from the drop down list and find Dr. Eck’s picture on the right.
3. Click on her name and you will then be directed to her “Campaign Page.”
4. From there, look to the left under “Quick Action Links” & click “Phone from Home.”
5. Call the numbers, follow the phone script, & record the answers.

Questions?  Email Amy (amyshea72@gmail.com).

In a quasi-related matter, Booker’s Newark has been named the least friendliest city in the world by Conde Nast Traveler with terror-laden Islamabad, Pakistan finishing second.

Here is a statement from the Independence Hall Tea Party Association regarding the weekend’s legislative activity in Harrisburg:

What a difference a day makes.

Just when we thought that our lawmakers were moving ahead with groundbreaking legislation, and the press reported it as such, we learn that it was all smoke and mirrors.

And so it was with the Pennsylvania Senate’s passage of the Liquor Privatization Bill.

The voting process began several months ago when the Pennsylvania House approved and sent to the Senate a much better privatization bill.  The House version was then virtually tossed aside while Senator Chuck Millinery (R-Bucks) and his colleagues rewrote almost the entire bill.

Still, there was a glimmer of hope left for privatization when the Senate passed its version by a vote of 27-23.

But in Harrisburg, Senate approved legislation must then clear the Appropriations Committee.

And even though Republicans are in the majority on the Committee, word is they won’t move on privatization unless the House passes $2.1 billion Transportation Bill that would increase the price of gas by at least $.30 a gallon.

The House, to its credit, also won’t budge.

So, what does this mean?  The PA Republican Senate would rather substantially raise taxes than support an effort to expand free enterprise in the Keystone State.

Bad news for Governor Tom Corbett who supports both the privatization and the transportation bills. Looks like, for now, the Governor is plum out of luck.

Hats off to the rank and file House Republicans for standing their ground against the pseudo Republicans that dominate the Senate, and, on the Transportation bill, the aloof Governor of our state.

Does Governor Corbett actually think the path to re-election is a $.30 or more tax increase on a gallon of gas?

We’ll find out in 16 months.

Hope to see you on the 4th.

On behalf of the Association Board,
Teri Adams

‘Recovering congressman’ J. D. Hayworth of Arizona will be the keynote speaker at the Independence Hall Tea Party Association’s 5th Annual Independence Day Celebration, reports Association President Teri Adams. His topics will include the widely unread 1200-plus immigration bill now being debated by the solons in Washington.

The event will be 1-3 p.m.,. July 4 at the Independence Visitors Center Ballroom at 6th and Market streets, Philadelphia, and which has an excellent view of where it all started.

Tickets are $7.50 for students, $15 for everyone else.

Also speaking will be  New Jersey Republican Senatorial Candidate and health expert, Alieta Eck, MD, who will provide timely commentary on the state of ObamaCare;  American Center for Law and Justice Executive Director Jordan Sekulow, who will address the IRS scandal and the lawsuit filed by 25 Tea Party Groups which included the Greenwich Tea Party Patriots of South Jersey; WHPT talk show host Dom Giordano; Chairman of the Pennsylvania Teenage Republicans Chairman Brandon Posner, and Tory McClintock of the Montgomery County Young Republicans.

The Association will also distribute its annual Betsy Ross Activist Awards which are going to for Delaware, Jason O’Neill of that state’s Faith and Freedom Coalition; for New Jersey, Brenda Roames of the Greenwich Tea Party Patriots of South Jersey, and for Pennsylvania, Stephanie Lieberman, an original board member of the IHTPA and activist.

Patricia Peteraf will be given the Betsy Ross Lifetime Activist Award. Karen Miller of the Pennsylvania Conservative Council and a former member of the West Chester Area School Board will get the George Washington Leadership Award.

The Whitehall Guard Fife and Drum will be on hand to play traditional colonial
music.

There will be a reading of the Declaration of Independence and  refreshments.