K Street Files: Tea for $280K

• By Bennett Roth and Matthew Murray
• Roll Call Staff
• Nov. 16, 2009, Midnight

A grass-roots “tea party” group has spent more than $280,000 on an advertising campaign this year bashing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) and other Democrats, according to campaign finance records. The group’s disclosure forms offer a glimpse into the political future of the upstart populist conservative movement. Through its political action committee, Tea Party Express raised more than $550,000 in 2009 and may soon begin donating to campaigns.