I’ve been reading this morning about Scott Ashjian, one of the 22 people running against Harry Reid. It looks like he is in some trouble:

A Nevada asphalt contractor who faces a legal challenge to his Tea Party of Nevada candidacy for U.S. Senate was hit Friday with felony theft and bad check charges in Las Vegas that allege he bounced a $5,000 business check last year.

Scott Ashjian is one of a record 22 candidates, including 12 Republicans, running for the seat held by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who is seeking a fifth term.

Now that is interesting in itself, but something is even more striking. Check out what wingnut blogs are saying about this. First up is Confederate Yankee:

But we’re talking about fake Tea Party Senate candidate Scott Ashjian, who doesn’t look like he’ll be politically viable.

Then we have Gateway Pundit:

Fake tea party candidate Scott Ashjian, a Nevada asphalt contractor running for US Senate in Nevada, was charged Friday with felony theft and bad check charges in Las Vegas. The fake tea partier allegedly bounced a $5,000 business check last year.

And finally Moe Lane:

The actual Tea Party folks have already been pretty adamant about pointing out that they don’t know this guy

So who is the “actual” Tea Party folks? Is there a mailing address for them? How about their FEC disclosures?

I’m sorry, but I can’t find anywhere and actual national Tea Party. I can find the national Democratic Party and the national Republican Party, but no tea party.

Now I am wondering how someone becomes an actual “tea party” candidate. Is there some super-duper secret handshake, void of all terrorist fist bumping? I think the American people really deserve to know.