Montana man ousted as Big Sky Tea Party president after Facebook comments will remain a member
By APTuesday, September 14, 2010
Mont. tea party prez still a member after comments
HELENA, Mont. — The chairman of the Big Sky Tea Party Association says its former president is still a member of the party despite his online comments about gays.
Chairman Jim Walker tells the Independent Record that the Montana group’s board met Monday to confirm Tim Ravndal’s (RAV’-in-dawlz) removal from his leadership post. However, a lengthier process is required to strip membership, and Walker says the board may not revisit the issue.
The board voted Sept. 5 to kick Ravndal out of the party over a Facebook post that appeared to joke about the death of Matthew Shepard. The gay man was beaten, tied to a fence and left to die in Wyoming in 1998.
But some party members protested Ravndal’s ouster and threatened to resign.
Ravndal told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he wants to review the details of the board’s action before commenting. He previously apologized for the post.
Information from: Independent Record, www.helenair.com
