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Tea Party Exchange founder says businesses will get money back

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By Lynn Hulsey, Staff Writer Updated 1:20 AM Thursday, August 19, 2010

DAYTON — Tea Party Exchange participating businesses will receive full refunds of the membership fees they paid to join the now-defunct operation, founder Donald Hutchinson said on Wednesday, Aug. 18.

More than two dozen businesses paid at least $150 for annual membership in the exchange, which was designed to link conservative businesses and consumers and provide contributions to Tea Party and affiliated groups.

Backlash from customers who did not support the Tea Party led several businesses to drop out, and controversy erupted over Hutchinson’s outsourcing of database programming for the exchange website.

The exchange began operations earlier this summer, but Hutchinson didn’t announce it officially until last week.

On Monday, Hutchinson announced that the exchange discount program for consumers was discontinued and on Tuesday he said the exchange had been suspended. The website is now closed.

Hutchinson is co-founder and president of Essex HR and Associates.

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