Tiffany Briscoe, the presidential nominee of the Boston Tea Party, writes in her biography on her campaign site in part
As a humanitarian, she values extremely highly the education of the next generation and is part of the Board of Trustees of the Howard Community College, of which she is a former graduate.
Briscoe secured the BTP nomination with 13 of 20 votes cast over the internet. Robert Milnes, a candidate for the Libertarian presidential nomination, was also a candidate for the BTP nomination and received one vote (presumably his own).
He writes on his site today,
I called Howard Community College. 443-518-1000 President’s Office 443-518-1820. Reportedly Tiffany Briscoe, in contradiction to her website tab Who is Tiffany is not a graduate of HCC nor is presently a member of the Board of Trustees. The President’s Office asked me some questions and I referred them to Briscoe’s website and BTP website. I think they were concerned that a student was claiming to be a graduate and a member of the Board of Trustees…
Ms. Briscoe has not been reached for comment, nor have Mr. Milnes’ statements been verified with HCC at this time.
The BTP was on the ballot in 3 states in 2008; it is not yet known how many, if any, states it will be on the ballot in in 2012, but their goal is up to fifteen.
The Boston Tea Party (BTP) is a U.S. political party named after the Boston Tea Party of 1773. Its ideology is libertarian.
A group of former Libertarian Party (LP) members founded the party in 2006. They criticized the LP for its “abdication of political responsibilities”, saying that “Americans deserve and desperately need a pro-freedom party that forcefully advocates libertarian solutions to the issues of today”.
The Boston Tea Party supports reducing the size, scope and power of government at all levels and on all issues, and opposes increasing the size, scope and power of government at any level, for any purpose.
h/t IPR reader New Federalist in comments on a previous post.
30 responses so far ↓
1 Indy // Jan 7, 2012 at 11:15 pm
Winning!
2 Thomas L. Knapp // Jan 7, 2012 at 11:17 pm
I’ve found no evidence that Briscoe is “part of the Board of Trustees” (that’s how she phrases it on her site) at Howard Community College.
However, a search on Briscoe’s name at the college’s site, turns up a PDF of board minutes with the administration’s request of the board that her application to graduate (among many others) be accepted, with the word “approved” circled under the request. That would seem to be at evidence that she is in fact a graduate.
3 Brian Holtz // Jan 7, 2012 at 11:54 pm
It took only 13 votes to secure the BTP nomination? That seems like a datum that would have merited reporting in the Dec 24 IPR article about the nomination.
4 Thomas L. Knapp // Jan 8, 2012 at 12:40 am
@3,
I’m pretty sure it was discussed — if not in that article, then certainly in comments. Someone asserted that that’s more than were involved in the Prohibition Party nomination, IIRC.
5 Pierre-Alexandre Crevaux // Jan 8, 2012 at 1:41 am
OK. Enough with Milnes already. This is incredible. He claims the election was rigged. He claims the world is against him. He supposedly doesn’t understand why the media didn’t pick him up as Ralkph Nader’s successor (!!!). OK. I propose this.
Read about her college degree here (article written before she was a candidate) http://www.cambridgepublicrelations.com/tiffany-briscoe
What about you check on the college’s website?
I mean come on. No, Ms. Briscoe won’t respond to this. It is none of her job to please Mr. Milnes, who supposedly had no Internet connection.
She’s writing a book to explain her platform as of now. How can some people just play like that when we’re trying to get something done?
Sore losers, I swear.
6 William Saturn // Jan 8, 2012 at 2:43 am
I did an interview with Tiffany Briscoe via e-mail a few weeks ago. You can see it at http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/On_the_campaign_trail,_December_2011#Boston_Tea_Party_presidential_nomination
As is customary, afterwards, I requested for her to provide an image for the interview and her wikipedia page. I explained that for an image to be used, she could release it under the Creative Commons Share-Alike License.
I did not even receive a response to this, which I find a strange reaction for someone trying to put themselves out there as a presidential candidate.
Now, I am somewhat disappointed at the childish reaction from Pierre-Alexandre Crevaux above, and am mystified that someone that nobody knows about thinks it a better way to use campaign time by writing a book rather than putting themselves out there through the media.
7 Here's a radical idea // Jan 8, 2012 at 3:53 am
20 people voted.
What a joke.
LOL
8 George Phillies // Jan 8, 2012 at 6:08 am
@5 Milnes…no internet connection.
He surely has a public library in range.
In the United States, access to public libraries almost certainly means he has access to the internet.
9 wolfefan // Jan 8, 2012 at 7:14 am
Hi Pierre @5 –
1) Your link proves nothing. It doesn’t matter that it proves nothing, since Tom Knapp already checked the website and reported what he found in #1. I guess you missed that.
2) You don’t respond to the charge that she falsely claimed to be a part of the Board of Trustees. Was she? When?
I wish Ms. Briscoe well, but part of the job of a presidential nominee is to respond to questions. If a request to verify your resume is too time consuming for her then I respectfully wonder if she’s up to it. Taking 30 minutes away from the book would probably give her a break that she could use!
10 Richard Winger // Jan 8, 2012 at 11:35 am
#4, when you compare the Prohibition Party presidential selection process with the Boston Tea Party process, it is only fair and relevant that the 9 or 10 delegates to the Prohibition Party physically traveled to convention in Cullman, Alabama, which takes expense and commitment. That is different than 20 people sitting at home in front of their computers.
11 paulie // Jan 8, 2012 at 12:07 pm
Milnes does have an internet connection, as those who were here before someone revoked his commenting privileges know all too well.
What he does not have is a job, a sex partner other than himself, any political supporters, or what many people call “a life.”
Nevertheless, he raises an interesting question here (for once), at least to the extent that anyone cares about the nominee of the BTP – and for the few people who do, this is the place to ask and answer questions.
The claim about the board of trustees remains; Ms. Briscoe is certainly free not to answer and leave the impression that she fibbed uncontested, if she wishes.
12 Pierre-Alexandre Crevaux // Jan 8, 2012 at 12:30 pm
I double checked. On the website of the HCC you can find her name on the list of the Board. You can do the same, they ask for no fee or password.
As for the number of people that voted at the convention, it was about the same in 2008 for Charles Jay. Could the process be done in a better way? Yes, but it would require money that the party doesn’t have yet.
And I Am As Amazed As All of You for the Picture thing. I am disappointed. I made an appointment for an official picture taking for January 24 when she will be in Miami.
Why do I not want her to answer to these allegations? Because they have no truth and are irrelevant for us. We’d tater campaign on the issues.
13 George Phillies // Jan 8, 2012 at 12:41 pm
The issue is not relevant?
Sorry, but in the United States having a candidate make seriously false claims about their background, or make true claims, is a major issue. I await the candidate’s explanation.
14 Nominate Dr. Ron Paul to be the 2012 Libertarian Party POTUS Candidate ! // Jan 8, 2012 at 1:05 pm
YAWN (coocoo for CocoPuffs)
You will never get this time back….tick, tick, tick,
Now to something VERY relevant to your life…
Feel free to share with friends and family!
SEVEN {7} Reasons Why Mitt Romney’s Electability Is A Myth – http://townhall.com/columnists/johnhawkins/2011/12/27/7_reasons_why_mitt_romneys_electability_is_a_myth/page/full/
The Romney Con -http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4vS9SF3vc-A
MittvMitt.com: The story of two men trapped in one body – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9njHHyRI7g&feature=player_embedded
*Federal Records Show Romney Campaign Bought And Paid For By Big Banks – http://www.conservativeactionalerts.com/2011/10/federal-records-show-romney-campaign-bought-and-paid-for-by-big-banks/
*Looks like the Obama list, don’t it !?!
15 Thomas L. Knapp // Jan 8, 2012 at 1:13 pm
Pierre@12,
“I double checked. On the website of the HCC you can find her name on the list of the Board. You can do the same, they ask for no fee or password.”
URL, please?
I looked at the HCC site. On the page listing the names of the Board of Trustees, I didn’t see her name. The only place I found it, using a site search, was in two PDFs of board notes in which her name appeared on lists of graduates to be approved by the board.
Dr. Phillies is correct. The truth or falsehood of one’s statements is a big deal. I have nothing against Ms. Briscoe, and doubt that whether or not she is on that board would have in any way affected the success or failure of her candidacy for the BTP’s nomination, but if something’s not true the BTP’s members would be wise to at least prevail upon her to not continue saying it.
16 wolfefan // Jan 8, 2012 at 1:56 pm
Hi Pierre –
I’m not sure what you double checked, since as Tom notes she’s not listed as a member of the Board of Trustees on the college website.
Whether or not a candidate lies about their job experience is certainly relevant. If Ron Paul turned out not to be an MD I suspect that would impact his support. If my supervisors at work determined that I lied about my work experience on my application or in my interview I would be fired. If Ms. Briscoe would lie about such a little thing, why should I trust what she says about big things?
You say that you are advising her not to respond to these allegations. First, that’s bad advice IMO for the reason stated above. Second, as far as I can see, she isn’t responding anyway. You could make the allegations go away if you wanted to (presuming they are false) but you keep refusing to do so by sharing a link. Tom dealt with the first one for you – if you’ll deal with the second then it’s all done.
Best to you and Ms. Briscoe…
17 paulie // Jan 8, 2012 at 2:14 pm
The Board of Trustees is here
http://www.howardcc.edu/about_hcc/organizational_leadership/board_of_trustees/boardoftrustees.html
and Ms. Briscoe is not on it.
A search for Briscoe at howardcc.edu returns only one document with a match for Tiffany.
That document is in fact titled Board of Trustees – Howard Community College but if you open it,
http://www.howardcc.edu/students/campus_services/library/archives/bot/meetingmaterials/fy12/11-30-11_Board_Materials-pub.pdf
Ms. Briscoe’s name appears just once, on page 102 of 129, as part of a long list of students that the “administration requests that the board of trustees approve the list of proposed graduates for December 2011 and empower the college president with the authority to make the necessary adjustments following clearance by the office of records, registration, and veterans’ affairs.”
If that request was approved, that now makes Ms. Briscoe a college graduate with an associate degree in general studies from a community college last month. It does not, however, make her part of the board of trustees, which is a far different claim.
On Milnes site, responding to comments here:
18 BTP nominee Tiffany Briscoe responds to Falsification Allegations | Independent Political Report // Jan 8, 2012 at 2:20 pm
[...] Comments Brian Holtz on Lee Wrights: The Fair Tax Isn’t Fair, It’s a Farcepaulie on Candidate defeated for Boston Tea Party presidential nomination accuses nominee of falsifying resumeGeorge Phillies on Lee Wrights: The Fair Tax Isn’t Fair, It’s a FarceKristina on Lee [...]
19 paulie // Jan 8, 2012 at 2:22 pm
It may be relevant to your life, but it is not relevant to this particular discussion.
We have an open thread for comments like this.
I realize that the BTP is small even by alt-party standards, but even so it is on topic for IPR and this is the place for the limited number of people who pay attention to it to discuss controversies regarding such parties.
If you find the BTP irrelevant, there is no shortage of other discussions on IPR for you to participate in.
And for anyone else (not “nominate”) who thinks only the Democrats and Republicans are relevant, I’d suggest you are in the wrong place altogether.
20 wolfefan // Jan 8, 2012 at 2:32 pm
FWIW, I looked at the minutes of the Board of Trustees for HCC for at least one meeting a year going back to 2001. Ms. Briscoe’s name is not listed in the minutes as either attending or absent as a member from the meetings I checked. This certainly wasn’t comprehensive and doesn’t prove anything conclusively.
Pierre – if you’re helping Ms. Briscoe with her campaign you might want her to take a look at her website. I checked the issues page. In one paragraph she says that progressive taxation is wrong but then proposes a flat tax of 20% on all income above $34k (which is a progressive tax and is also a huge tax increase on the middle class and a big cut for the wealthy, particularly with the small capital gains tax she proposes.) She opposes the estate tax, but then says it should apply on all estates of $250k and above (which is far more estates than it applies to now.) What she opposes in one sentence she often proposes in the next.
As I’ve said, I wish her well. I’m not a libertarian or a BTP member, although I am open to their ideas. This is offered not as a criticism but as an observation from someone outside the process in hopes that Ms. Briscoe can sharpen her message. I’d get the web site issues pages straightened out before I spent another minute on the platform book – far more people will read the website for free than will pay for her book.
21 paulie // Jan 8, 2012 at 3:01 pm
The Dec 24 article was just the BTP press release. However, I thought it was somewhat relevant here.
22 Darryl W. Perry // Jan 8, 2012 at 3:06 pm
As Chair of the BTP National Committee, I must say that I am not pleased to learn that the Presidential nominee may not be telling the truth about her background. Had this information been brought up prior to the nominating convention, the results may have been different.
That said, Tiffany Briscoe is the BTP nominee and I respectfully request she provide documentation to support her claim or admit that she misrepresented herself in this claim.
23 johncjackson // Jan 8, 2012 at 4:23 pm
Does anyone have evidence/info on “Tiffany of Elegance” or any other businesses/retail stores? It’s usually not very hard to find evidence of the existence of a retail store. The only online references to this store “Tiffany of Elegance”, a “retail store in Maryland” are on Briscoe’s Bios. If I still lived in MD, I would go look for it, but I don’t. Even if the retail store has no internet presence ( which is strange for any business open to the public in modern times), there would be some evidence from business review sites, corporate/biz info compilation sites, press releases/local news items.
24 Bill Blair // Jan 8, 2012 at 5:49 pm
What a choice the BTP had: a seemingly unemployed pathological liar and mentally-ill perverted weirdo.
25 William Saturn // Jan 8, 2012 at 5:51 pm
@24
The BTP also could have chosen Minerva Councilman Phil Davison
26 Bill Blair // Jan 8, 2012 at 5:57 pm
@25
Ahh, yes, how could I have forgotten the screaming wacko from Tosh.o?
27 Candidate defeated for Boston Tea Party presidential nomination accuses nominee of falsifying resume | ThirdPartyPolitics.us // Jan 10, 2012 at 3:38 am
[...] Source: Independent Political Report [...]
28 Mickey Finn // Jan 12, 2012 at 7:30 pm
Milnes reports today
“1/12 Just spoke with HCC Acting Registrar Eli Stav. He said Tiffany Briscoe has no degree/did not graduate …………….”
29 Boston Tea Party National Chair Demands Accountability from Presidential Candidate on Background Claims | Independent Political Report // Jan 14, 2012 at 1:20 pm
[...] Candidate defeated for Boston Tea Party presidential nomination accuses nominee of falsifying resume by Paulie Tweet [...]
30 Tiffany Briscoe: ‘What started as a simple misunderstanding between campaign officials and the presidential candidate grew into a misrepresentation of the truth’ | Independent Political Report // Jan 16, 2012 at 11:02 am
[...] Robert Milnes, a candidate defeated for the Boston Tea Party presidential nomination accused nominee Tiffany Briscoe …, Briscoe initially responded: I don’t know if this is genuine to the Howard Community College or, [...]
Leave a Comment