WASHINGTON • There are plenty of Republicans in the House hoping to capitalize on the activism and conservative zeal of the Tea Party movement. But only 28 put their names on the list of members of the newly formed Tea Party Caucus.

One of them was Rep. Todd Akin, R-Town and Country.

The caucus met for the first time Wednesday and emerged declaring that its members were there to listen — not lead or even vouch for — the conservative political movement.

"We are not the mouthpiece of the Tea Party. We are not taking the Tea Party and controlling it from Washington, D.C.," caucus chairwoman and founder Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota said at a news conference after the meeting. "We are also not here to vouch for the Tea Party."

Bachmann's careful disclaimer shows just how touchy the subject is. Caucuses are widely used as a way for members to signal their political and personal allegiances. But in the case of the Tea Party, Republican politicians have generally preferred to support the effort less formally, with encouraging words and occasional appearances at rallies.

The distance has allowed lawmakers to avoid claims that they are trying to co-opt the grass-roots movement. It also protects them from having to defend the controversial views that occasionally mingle with the movement's core message of limited government and lower taxes.

For now, the caucus is a Republican group, including Reps. Steve King of Iowa, Joe Wilson of South Carolina, Pete Hoekstra of Michigan, Tom Price of Georgia, Joe Barton of Texas, Pete Sessions of Texas and the third-ranking Republican in leadership, Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, chairman of the Republican Conference.

Though they did not claim to speak for the Tea Party, caucus members did attempt to defend the movement from accusations that it has tolerated racism within its ranks. A small but diverse group of Tea Party activists spoke at the news conference, including an immigrant from Colombia, another from Brazil and Danielle Hollars, 32, an African-American mother of five from Virginia.

"We are not terrorists, we are not racist," Hollars said. "We are patriots."

Rep. Dan Burton said that the "various ethnic groups" represented should dispel any notions of racism.

Bachmann wasn't the first to come up with the idea of a caucus. Kentucky Senate candidate Rand Paul has said he has plans for one in the Senate, if he gets elected.