This phone number has called my home repeatedly for the past week. I have an unlisted phone number and am on the national do not call list, yet the calling continues.

They called again right at 9 o’clock this morning to my unlisted, “do not call” number. The “do not call” part apparently does not apply to political and charitable calls. The caller ID says “Tea Party” and calls from (202) 750-2399. I figured I’d answer and see what was going on.

A lady announces that she is calling on behalf of the tea party effort to support [mc_name name=’Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’P000603′ ]. She wanted me to listen to a brief message about the call. I consented. It was clear [mc_name name=’Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’P000603′ ] had nothing to do with the call. The recorded message said the tea party was fighting to support tea party candidates like [mc_name name=’Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’C001098′ ] and [mc_name name=’Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’P000603′ ] and to stop the socialist agenda of Barack Obama.

Then there was a survey asking if the tea party should focus on the economy, immigration, or holding the President accountable.

At that point, some older man came on the phone. The lady had vanished. He wanted me to join the tea party for $100.00 — a special discount from $200.00 because he said they were trying to grow membership in my area.

He could not tell me which tea party organization he was with, just the tea party itself.

From the groups claiming to represent Ben Carson to the groups raising money for Allen West to now a group claiming to raise money to “Stop Jeb Bush,” I think more and more older conservatives are getting scammed by con men living well off other people’s money. I doubt very much that much, if any, of the money is going to support these causes. More and more reviews of records show it is just going to line the pockets of consultants and lawyers.

It is a terrible blight on the conservative movement and on the tea party in particular that the hucksters have come up to cash in.