Looks like the Nebraska GOP are calling in extra security to deal with what they refer to in other states as “all out anarchy” in the delegate process. While far from the truth of “all out anarchy,” Ron Paul supporters have actually videoed entire state conventions and it is clear that is not what is taking place. Still the Nebraska GOP thinks they need a little muscle to keep the Paul supporters in line.
The July 14 state convention in Grand Island will determine whether or not Ron Paul will have his name on the ballot and in addition to that a platform to speak to the convention. This really seems to be the reason that the Nebraska GOP is bringing in extra security.
While the Nebraska Watchdog claims that chaos broke out in Louisiana, it was not on the part of Paul supporters as evidenced from an article written by Angelina Standford who was a delegate and eyewitness to the events in Louisiana. A video also documents just what took place along with the article.
The Paul supporters have been playing by the rules of the GOP. They have been succeeding at obtaining legitimate delegates, which is why they have legitimate delegates and the GOP doesn’t like it.
The executive director of the state Republican Party, Jordan McGrain said, “We’re just not going to tolerate any disruptions. This is not going to be a free-for-all.”
It won’t be a free for all. It will be by the rules. However, just like in Oklahoma, Arizona and even in Louisiana the rules were not being followed and thus I suppose the GOP expects people to sit back and take them violating the rules. Oklahoma’s delegates are divided among two separate slates and will more than likely be determined in court.
According to the Nebraska Watchdog,
In Nebraska, about half the delegates went to Paul supporters in Douglas and Sarpy counties, with Paul supporters claiming rules were violated in Dodge County and retreating to a rump convention in Fremont. Then the Paul-Tea Party movement appeared poised to get their candidate elected chairman of the party – over the wishes of Gov. Dave Heineman – until chairman Fahleson pre-empted that fight this week by announcing plans to stay in his position until his term ends next year.
And so ends the battle for the chairmanship, but the battle for delegates continues. It would be an embarrassment for Heineman – the first governor to endorse Romney – to have his state’s delegates vote for Paul at the national convention. Heineman has been mentioned as a contender for a Romney cabinet post.
McGrain said Romney and Paul supporters have been “burning up the phone lines” – making calls to delegates to ascertain who they’re committed to before the state convention. He accused Paul supporters of claiming to be from the state GOP or refusing to say who they are. A leader of the Paul movement said those calls are being made by the Paul campaign.
McGrain claims, “They’re not interested in a straight-up fight. They need to float underneath the radar. It’s just kind of their M.O. (modus operandi).”
McGrain’s statement is just not true. As an example take the Georgia GOP state convention where the GOP wanted to put forth a resolution that read,
“Whereas President Obama signed into a law the National Defense Authorization Act of 2011 and whereas section 1021 of the aforementioned act is repugnant to all American ideals, traditions and laws, in as much as it violates the United States Constitution, in that it suspends the writ of habeas and of Article 1, Section 9 and violates the 5th, 6th and 9th Amendments. Now therefore be it resolved that the Republican party of Georgia calls on the United States congress to repeal section 1021 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2011.”
This was approved and an amendment followed the resolution which stated, “I just want to mention that if the Georgia Republican party decides to withdraw a resolution every time the vote doesn’t exactly go their way then we are undermining the very foundations of this party.”
“The Georgia Republican Party will not endorse any candidate that has voted for or supported those sections.”
Even though Georgia went to Gingrich, some attendees realized that a certain presumptive nominee approved on national television in a live Republican debate the NDAA as written and so the convention withdrew the entire resolution. Now that is not a “straight-up fight” as Mr. McGrain calls it. In fact, one convention participant said, “I just want to mention that if the Georgia Republican party decides to withdraw a resolution every time the vote doesn’t exactly go their way then we are undermining the very foundations of this party.”
McGrain goes on to put out generalized comments such as, “Frankly some of the people that got involved are supportive of Ron Paul and really don’t have any interest in doing what’s right by the Republican voters of Nebraska or by the Republican Party, who overwhelmingly said on election day that Mitt Romney was their choice. Now is clearly the time to coalesce behind our candidate.”
Except Mr. McGrain, legally the GOP does not have a candidate until the man is actually nominated. This is why he is referred to as a “presumptive” nominee and not the GOP nominee. Mr. McGrain also claim that “some people” do this and that. I’d like for Mr. McGrain to name those “some people.”
I’m sure one of the people he might name would be Tea Party leader Laura Ebke who is chairwoman of the Republican Liberty Caucus. She claims there is dissatisfaction with the state party and the Liberty Caucus wants to help bring the party back to Constitutional thinking. She even claims that many counties aren’t sending a delegate to the convention, which should cause party officials to worry.
Ebke was called to meet with the governor where it was “made clear to us that he wasn’t very happy” for her groups support of a candidate for chairman that he had not endorsed. The governor then told her that she should not challenge his authority to name a state chairman.
Friends that is tyrannical. Why does the Liberty Caucus not have as much right to put forth their own candidate as Governor Dave Heineman? I have a word for Mr. Heineman: This is still America and people have a right to speak and to vote as they like. The people of Nebraska don’t need their governor calling them in and talking to them like little children that they should not oppose your candidate.
While Ebke says that they are prepared to lose, she hopes that there won’t be a “real rowdy convention” and that the “party plays fair.”
I do too. I hope there is lots of video on just how the convention is conducted. This has been crucial in several states as to seeing how the rules are being followed and how they are not. While I am not one that endorses all actions of all Liberty Caucus people, I am also not one that endorses all actions of the establishment either. Both have their rotten apples. But the convention is governed by rules. It would be nice to see them followed by all parties involved.
