Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas has caused a brouhaha by refusing to meet with President Barack Obama at the White House where the Stanley Cup-winning was to be feted.

Thomas, the only member of the Bruins to snub the president, is believed to be a supporter of the Tea Party and an admirer of conservative media figure Glenn Beck, formerly of Fox News.

In a statement posted on his Facebook account, Thomas defended his action: ““I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties and Property of the People . . . Because I believe this, I exercised my right as a Free Citizen, and did not visit the White House. This was not about politics or party.”

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While Thomas has been criticized by some Democratic lawmakers for mixing sports with politics, he has also been slammed by another familiar figure.

It turns out that Thomas went to the same high school -- though decades later -- as leftist filmmaker Michael Moore, Davison High in a suburb of Flint, Mich.

On this Twitter account, Moore blasted Thomas: "If u've read my book, u know all u need 2 know about the (all white) high school Tim Thomas & I went to- & yet that school produced both of us."

Moore added: “If I had been invited to the Bush White House (ha!), I would have gone with my TEAM - & I would have respectfully told Bush a thing or two! Tim Thomas & I went to the same high school. I can tell u this: People in Flint LOVE Obama, desperately need Obama, & DETEST Thomas' actions."

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