An Ooltewah man who is a leader in the current effort to recall Mayor Ron Littlefield was in the news in 2008 in connection with a national controversy over "push polls" that were criticized by some presidential candidates.
Mark West was listed as the main backer of a group that was condemned by then-presidential candidate Fred Thompson and other candidates for "push polls" in behalf of GOP candidate Mike Huckabee.
Reports at the time said Mr. West had contributed $48,500 to Common Sense Issues.
Mr. West led Huckabee meet-up groups in Chattanooga and North Georgia was a Huckabee contributor along with his wife, Lori.
Supporters of Thompson and Mitt Romney said the calls misrepresented their positions on such issues as partial-birth abortion and homosexuals.
Thompson, campaigning in South Carolina in early 2008, asked a group if they had gotten the automated calls, and many raised their hand to say they had, according to reports.
Thompson said he confronted Huckabee "man to man" on the issue, and Huckabee said he denounced the phone-attack method but by law could have no control over the group.
Mr. West is a co-founder of the Wellington Group, developer of assisted living facilities based on Christian principles, his company website at the time said.
Mayor Littlefield in a recent email accused Mr. West of running "a smear campaign" against him.
The mayor said, "You cannot deny that you have intentionally supported such a smear campaign. Further, you have gone so far on your 'Chattanooga Tea Party' website as to urge people to use their churches in circulating the recall petition.
"Suffice it to say that you have raised the hate level in Chattanooga to 'red' and contributed to a very toxic situation among the population in this community. As a Christian brother that you have never met, I believe that you are in violation of the laws of God and man. Your political tactics are unacceptable in both respects."
Mr. West said he made an email response to the mayor, but he said that email was not released by the city along with other emails, including another to him from the mayor.