UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) -  The fallout from the confrontation between a local tax payer and House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer, has new legs.

The Washington Post published an article, where the Maryland Congressman discussed his visit to Utica and the protest held at his news conference, which was supposed to cover the possibility of a high-speed rail system coming to the area.  "When you've been around as long as I have, it becomes pretty evident, pretty quickly; that this is an organized effort," Hoyer said.  "Normal citizens just do not act that way."

In the article, Hoyer went on to say that the protesters acted like "rabid animals."
    
The man at the center of the controversy and the end of Hoyer's comments is Don Jeror.  Jeror organized the Tax Day Tea Party at Fort Stanwix this year.  He was confused by the comments of Hoyer, and other Democratic politicians, who are calling the recent demonstrations across the country mob like.  "My group, my mob, consisted of me, five women over the age of 60, and one young African American woman," Jeror said.  "That was the mob...I don't know how we fit into this mentality they're throwing out there."

Jeror points out that he did not yell at the Majority Leader until he believed Congressman Hoyer lied to him.  "We didn't yell at Michael Arcuri, the reason Steny Hoyer got yelled at was, he told a lie," Jeror said.  "My father told me I do not have to suffer fools and liars.  I don't have to respect them.  I didn't realize Washington would be so offended at that thought."

According to Jeror, the group was not aware that the Majority Leader was going to be speaking at the high-speed rail news conference.  He says they showed up to ask Congressman Arcuri if he was planning a town hall meeting regarding healthcare reform during the August recess.

Jeror says he started the Fort Stanwix Tea Party Patriots group out of concern for his grandchildren, saying he worries about how in debt the stimulus bill will put them.  And, as he contemplated their fate, he began to fear the government intruding on American's personal lives.

Jeror is planning a local event for September 12th, the same day a big march on Washington D.C. is scheduled.