Arizona GOP Official Resigns, Citing Tea Party Threats: 'I Don't Want to Take a Bullet'
1 hour ago
by Christopher Weber

Several GOP officials from the same area in Arizona have resigned following last week's shooting rampage in Tucson, including a district chairman who said threats from local tea party members caused him to be worried for the safety of himself and his family.

Anthony Miller, 43, stepped down earlier this week as chair of Republican District 20 after his wife expressed concerns about "constant verbal attacks" against him since helping Sen. John McCain win reelection in November, The Arizona Republic reported.

McCain was opposed by some parts of the conservative tea party movement in Arizona. Since the election victory, Miller said he has been the subject of intimidating and threatening rhetoric in person and on Internet message boards.

Still, Miller said, he had no plans to leave his post until the attempted assassination of Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords during a massacre that left six dead and 14 wounded.

"I wasn't going to resign but decided to quit after what happened Saturday," Miller told The Huffington Post Wednesday. "I love the Republican Party but I don't want to take a bullet for anyone."

Miller, who is black, said a number of the attacks were racially based. At an event in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Miller told The Huffington Post that someone called out, "There's Anthony, get a rope."

State party spokesman Matt Roberts told the Republic he could not discuss details of the resignation but, "Anthony has been a good Republican and was really involved in LD20."

District spokesman Jeff Kolb also quit, citing the threats against Miller. The Republic said District 20's secretary, Sophia Johnson, and first vice chairman Roger Dickinson stepped down as well, but the reasons for their resignations were unclear.

Members of the Ahwatukee Tea Party did not immediately comment.
Filed Under: Republicans, Tea Party, Arizona Shooting
Tagged: anthony miller, arizona, arizona shooting, dailyguidance, john mccain, Republican Party, tea party, tucson shooting

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