Quincy Tea Party Turns Table on City Council

In a post two years ago this week, I reported on the story of Steve McQueen, a leader of the then-fledgling Quincy (Ill.) Tea Party, who was prevented from speaking at a meeting of the local city council:

It was the last thing McQueen expected to have happen when he appeared at the meeting last night. But it did happen. In a 7-6 vote down party lines, members of the Quincy City Council voted to deny him his right to speak, despite the fact that he had taken all of the proper steps required of a citizen to appear on the council’s agenda.

“I actually went last night with the idea that I was going to speak about our local city budget and a water-sewer increase,” McQueen told me this morning during a telephone interview. “I did ask to speak prior to going and I was placed n the agenda, so I went in with the idea that it was a foregone conclusion that I would speak. When I walked in and the vote happened, I was shocked.”

Shocked, yes. But not deterred.

A lot has changed in Quincy since then, according to Tara August, a QTP member who was at the meeting. Early this afternoon, she sent me an update about the local political situation in the Mississippi River town 130-odd miles north of St. Louis. I share it below:

“Someone reposted your blog of 2 years ago – the article about our Quincy Tea Party leader, Steve McQueen, who was denied be able to speak at our city council meeting. I was at that meeting. Just thought you might like to know what has happened since then.

“Our 7/7 split on the city council with a Democratic mayor has turned into a 10/4 Republican majority since our election in April. Quincy Tea Party was instrumental in making this happen. We also have two new female Republican councilwomen.

“I remember the comment the day after Steve was denied his request to speak. Someone wrote “I hope they enjoy being in hot water because they just cooked their goose”. We still have the Dem mayor but he is up for reelection in 2 years and we will get him then! Enjoyed your article.”

Thanks for the update, Tara!

Makes me wonder whether the folks who appeared in two videos — Obama Worshipers Full of Blissful Ignorance and Quincy Doctor Calls Out Tea Party’s ‘Chubbies’ — shot during President Barack Obama’s April 28, 2010, visit to Quincy, might be having second thoughts about the man they once adored so much.