In atmosphere of distrust, Republican rules chairman aims to lock in Trump as nominee
In an escalation of mutual distrust among top party members, a Republican National Committee official will formally move to block House Speaker Paul D. Ryan from possibly thwarting Donald Trump’s nomination, The Washington Times has learned.
Bruce Ash, chairman of the national party’s powerful rules committee, will petition to amend the “40d” rule to bar the counting of votes in the televised roll call of states for candidates who are not on the convention ballot. Mr. Ash’s proposal would “close and lock the back door to a hijacking of the nomination” by the small but tenacious #NeverTrump and “vote your conscience” factions.
Mr. Ryan is expected preside over the Cleveland convention as its chairman, chief shot-caller and final arbiter.
Although he has not said he would use his power to deny Mr. Trump the nomination, he has repeatedly criticized Mr. Trump and told fellow House Republicans that they should vote their conscience in November. Many Republicans regard that advice as treasonous aid to Democrat Hillary Clinton by encouraging people not to back Mr. Trump.
Mr. Ash, who says Mr. Trump was not his first, second or even third choice for the nomination, nonetheless argues that Mr. Trump won the nomination fair and square.
“Why do I distrust [RNC Chairman Reince Priebus] and the rest of the leadership?” said Mr. Ash. “Because as the RNC Standing Rules Committee chairman, I asked for a public pledge to support our presumptive nominee. I asked this from Reince, his convention leadership team, the various chairmen of the standing committees and from the convention committee chairman. I never heard back from anybody.”
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