When your own rules don't let you cheat enough...

[Kevin]

 

http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/NEWS19/807180503/1321/NEWS

 

 

GOP cancels state convention; panel to pick Nevada national delegates

By ANJEANETTE DAMON • [e-mail] • July 18, 2008

 

 

The Nevada Republican Party decided Thursday not to reconvene its scuttled state convention this month, claiming it couldn't generate enough interest to reach a legal quorum to elect delegates to the national convention in St. Paul, Minn.

 

 

Instead, the party's executive board, in a private conference call July 25, would decide who from Nevada will attend the Republican National Convention to formally nominate U.S. Sen. John McCain.

 

The state party abruptly ended its state convention in April to head off a delegation of Ron Paul supporters who had captured control of the proceedings and appeared on track to elect a majority slate to the Sept. 1-4 national convention.

 

Party officials planned to reconvene on July 26. But only about 300 delegates sent in RSVPs, well short of the 675 needed for a quorum.

 

"With so many people concerned about the economy, it simply wouldn't be fair for us to ask delegates from all over the state to spend money to attend a convention if we know that a quorum won't be present," Chairwoman Sue Lowden said in a news release.

 

The disaffected Republicans elected national delegates at their own insurgent state convention in June. They also did not have enough a quorum but argued a technical rules violation at the original convention allowed them to proceed with only 328 delegates.

 

Although Paul, a Texas congressman with a strong libertarian bent, has dropped out of the presidential race, his supporters continue to stay active in Nevada. They hope to push the Republican Party in their philosophical direction.

 

"This is pretty much what we figured they would do all along," said Dr. Wayne Terhune, a Sparks dentist who funded the insurgent convention. "I don't see how this would really help the party."

 

Longtime Nevada Republicans said they've never experienced an aborted state convention.

 

"I don't ever remember such chaos in the party," said Barbara Vucanovich, a former congresswoman who has been involved in party politics since the early 1950s. "Frankly, its an embarrassment for our state and also makes it difficult for John McCain. He needs all the electoral votes he can get."

 

The dispute is almost certain to end up in court.

 

"Now, it becomes a legal issue with the RNC," said Washoe County Republican chairwoman Heidi Smith. "You will have two groups going. The group that the state party puts together, I think will prevail."

 

Zachary Moyle, the state party's executive director, said it's not clear how the executive board will decide who to send to the national convention.

 

Under party rules, the slate must be set at least 30 days before the national convention. That means the party won't have time to do a mail-in ballot.

 

"I'm confident whatever decision the executive board reaches will stand on the record," he said.

 

Mike Weber, a Republican activist who chaired the insurgent convention, said he's prepared to take his challenge of whatever slate the board puts forward to the Republican National Committee.

 

"Denying the right of ordinary Republicans to participate in the selection of our national Republican presidential nominee is an intolerable violation of Republican rules and principles," he said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments for GOP cancels state convention; panel to pick Nevada national delegates

 

daveintonopah wrote:

 

Smokers rejoyce! The smoked filled back rooms of the Nevada Republican Party Leadership are still open and doing business!!

 

"The party's executive board, in a PRIVATE conference call July 25, would decide who from Nevada will attend the Republican National Convention to formally nominate U.S. Sen. John McCain.""

 

How dare the every day Republicans of Nevada try to endorse the outcast Ron Paul when the Leadership wants Romney........I mean McCain.

 

Let us hope that the Republican National Convention has the guts to do what the Democrats did not in Michigan and Florida, and tells Nevada it may not seat any delegates at the National Convention due to the way the convention was run and illegally terminated. Any delegates that show up will not be elected by the Party but political appointees of the Nevada Party Leadership.

 

Its enought to make me want to vote for Hillary.........I mean Obama......

7/18/2008 12:34:46 PM Smokers rejoyce!     The smoked filled back rooms of the Nevada Republican Party Leadership are still open and doing business!!   "The party's executive board, in a PRIVATE conference call July 25, would decide who from Nevada will attend the Republican National Convention to formally nominate U.S. Sen. John McCain.""How dare the every day Republicans of Nevada try to endorse the outcast Ron Paul when the Leadership wants Romney........I mean McCain.    Let us hope that the Republican National Convention has the guts to do what the Democrats did not in Michigan and Florida,  and tells Nevada it may not seat any delegates at the National Convention due to the way the convention was run and illegally terminated.   Any delegates that show up will not be elected by the Party but political appointees of the Nevada Party Leadership.   Its enought to make me want to vote for Hillary.........I mean Obama...... daveintonopah

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boycottkoh wrote:

 

Sickening! The Republifascist party, corrupt nationally is afraid of grass roots insurgency in the state party. You right wing wackos should be ashamed!

7/18/2008 12:28:19 PM Sickening!   The Republifascist party,  corrupt nationally is afraid of grass roots insurgency in the state party.   You right wing wackos should be ashamed! boycottkoh

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renorich wrote:

 

Surprise, surprise!

The NvGOP has tried to discourage a free election of national delegates from the out-set. Now with time running out, they are resorting to the type of tactics that many thought they would when the State Convention was illegally “recessed”.

 

Now the question will be which delegates are to be seated at the National Convention: those elected by 300+ delegates, or those hand-picked by the Party elite. What about the 9 district delegates that were elected during the aborted convention in April? Will the Party try to nullify that as well?

 

7/18/2008 11:52:07 AM Surprise, surprise! The NvGOP has tried to discourage a free election of national delegates from the out-set. Now with time running out, they are resorting to the type of tactics that many thought they would when the State Convention was illegally “recessed”. Now the question will be which delegates are to be seated at the National Convention: those elected by 300+ delegates, or those hand-picked by the Party elite.  What about the 9 district delegates that were elected during the aborted convention in April?  Will the Party try to nullify that as well? renorich

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bobmunoz wrote:

 

How many attempts to you get at selecting delegates and who has the final authority on which delegates will be the official ones. Do you continue the selecting process until there is an agreement that they like this group. Time is running out, but there is still time to manipulate your system. Go for it, but this is not the American way.

7/18/2008 11:33:07 AM How many attempts to you get at selecting delegates and who has the final authority on which delegates will be the official ones.  Do you continue the selecting process until there is an agreement that they like this group.  Time is running out, but there is still time to manipulate your system.  Go for it, but this is not the American way. bobmunoz

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bobmunoz wrote:

 

The RGJ's article clearly points out the lack of interest in the local GOP in having a convention to select their delegates. The executive board will decide! Where are we? Is this really going to take place. Sounds like something that happens in other countries where the government controls elections, appointments etc. Barbara Vucanovich's words accurately describe the state of the county GOP: an embarrassment and chaos. I wonder how you select delegates: your friends, party officials, relatives, or randomly. Surely, this will end in further chaos, and fighting within the ranks. I see no fairness in the selection process.

7/18/2008 11:25:48 AM The RGJ's article clearly points out the lack of interest in the local GOP in having a convention to select their delegates.  The executive board will decide!  Where are we? Is this really going to take place.  Sounds like something that happens in other countries where the government controls elections, appointments etc.  Barbara Vucanovich's words accurately describe the state of the county GOP:  an embarrassment and chaos.  I wonder how  you select delegates:  your friends, party officials, relatives, or randomly.  Surely, this will end in further chaos, and fighting within the ranks.  I see no fairness in the selection process. bobmunoz

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Gmartine wrote:

 

Great article. Especially for telling the truth on how the GOP leaders abruptly ended the first convention because the Ron Paul delegation outnumbered and outmaneuvered them by following the rules.

 

If this ends up in court then the GOP leadership (Sue Lowden and Zachary Moyle) can be exposed for their actions.

 

I hope that the Republican National Committee votes in favor of the delegates from the 2nd convention. Especially because the results fromt he first convention clearly showed that Ron Paul delegates won almost all delegate spots. If they don't then all republicans need to bring this to the attention of the national media otherwise we are sacrificing our democracy here out home while sacrificing the lives and limbs of soldiers overseas who are fighting for other country's democracies.

7/18/2008 9:23:35 AM