Minnesota Chaos! Stealing delegates

[acroso]

"Voting results disputed in Minnesota conventions"




BLAINE, Minn. – Ron Paul supporters shook things up in at least three of Minnesota's congressional district conventions yesterday when they captured nearly all of the national delegates and alternates for the Republican National Convention this fall.

There was controversy at Minnesota's 6th Congressional District Convention. The district covers part of the Twin Cities metro area and extends to the west and into nearby St. Cloud, Minn. Paul supporters were accused of dirty tricks.

"They hijacked the convention," said Jeff Johnson who serves as Minnesota's Senate District 15 co-chairman.

Two out of three national delegates elected were Ron Paul supporters and all three of the alternates supported Paul. After the election results were announced at the convention, they were immediately disputed when it was discovered that the candidates had agreed to support John McCain in pre-screening questions.

"I had people coming up to me saying that they wanted to ensure that Ron Paul has a chance to speak at the convention," said Andy Aplikowsky, the vice chairman of the 6th District in Anoka County, "These people hid what their intentions were and that's deceptive."

Prior to the voting, candidates running to be national delegates were screened by a nominating committee and asked two questions.

"We asked them if they were Republican and then asked if they would support John McCain at the national convention" said Aplikowsky. "They had the option to answer yes, no, or maybe."

The answers to these questions were then presented to the body of congressional delegates to take into consideration in the voting process. When it was discovered the elected national delegates were Paul supporters despite saying they would support McCain, the convention erupted in debate.


A motion was made to ensure the delegates supported McCain at the national convention.

"I moved that we bind the national delegates and alternates to what they told the nominating committee which is what was reported to the voters," said Aplikowsky.

A heated debate lasting more than an hour followed the motion. Eventually, the motion passed by a slim margin, but not without harsh words and harsh exchanges.

The feeling among many of the congressional delegates who voted was that the Paul supporters had been dishonest. Ron Baert, one of the elected national delegates and a Ron Paul supporter disagreed.

"I don't recall the exact wording of the question (about McCain), and so I wanted to clarify it," he said. "So I said that the endorsement hasn't even taken place yet, but that if McCain were endorsed I would support him, however I did not say I would vote to endorse him at the national convention."

Could the wording of the pre-screening questions have been confusing? Aplikowsky who helped in the process didn't think that was likely.

"There were 98 people who went through the questions and it was explained very thoroughly at the time the nominations report was given to the voters," he said.

The 98 candidate names, and their answers to the pre-screening questions were displayed on an overhead projector as well as on a handout available to voters.

Some Paul supporters wanted to know why the pre-screening questions were asked in the first place, and Baert said he and other Paul backers felt intimidated. So what was the purpose of the questions?

"The intention was to identify people and who they were going to support," said Aplikowski. "It wasn't to keep out Ron Paul supporters but to present that information to the body of delegates to vote on, which is one of the purposes of the nominating committee."

The RNC was contacted by phone while the debate was going on, and, according to party rules, the national delegates must endorse John McCain or their votes won't count. That left some angry.

"If they intended to bind candidates to vote for the presumptive nominee (John McCain), they should've announced this at the beginning," said Paul supporter Jim Sutton. "This convention has never bound delegates to a candidate before. It was a torpedo job against us!"

The Ron Paul Revolution also struck Minnesota's 4th and 5th districts where Paul supporters swept the votes for national delegates and alternates. Minnesota Chairman Ron Carey said that the delegates' decision to not unite behind McCain only hurts the Republican party.

Paul has remained in the presidential race despite the fact McCain has now earned enough delegates to become the Republican nominee for president.


http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.p...w&pageId=60907
Edit/Delete Message

 

[soapmistress]

hijacked.

expext to see this word more and more...

here come the homegrowns :/

 

[Banana]

I truly hope that the RP supporters there didn't lie about voting for McCain- this could have been avoided if they simply stated that they would only support those who supports conservative values r something like that.

 

[acroso]

The questionaire was non-specific. Vote for McCain at the national convention or the state? It never said. Also will you endorse McCain to be a delegates...sure why not. This all means nothing.

If they had had a questionaire that said will you for sure vote McCain at the national convention...then that would be dishonest, but they didn't.

Besides...doesn't it all depend on what the meaning of "is" is?

 

[LibertyIn08]

As I said, I was worried this would happen.

Perhaps the best step would be to tell the media, if asked, that you followed the convention rules to the letter. Beyond that, that is all you can do.

Keep playing the game fair, and being positive with the media. There is more ground support for what the delegates are doing than the media or stalwarts think.

 

[coyote_sprit]

I truly hope that the RP supporters there didn't lie about voting for McCain- this could have been avoided if they simply stated that they would only support those who supports conservative values r something like that.

They specifically said do you support McCain. Almost like a vowel of loyalty.

 

[TruePatriot44]

I was at the 2nd Congressional District in Minnesota last week and a lot of people I talked to have an intense disliking of John McCain. Its not just Paul supporters, but Romney supporters as well (McCain only got 20% in Minnesota, Romney 40%, huckabee 20%, and Paul 20%). People up here don't want to unite behind a liberal republican.

 

[szczebrzeszyn]

I wonder what is the result of Minnesota caucuses

 

[acroso]

"Do you pledge to give McCain Primae Noctis rights to your wife?"

 

[TruePatriot44]

They also can't bind delegates at the congressional district conventions.

Minnesota GOP Constitution:

http://www.gop-mn.org/info.cfm?x=2&pname=seltype&pval=2&pname2=tdesc&pval2=Constitution

C. In compliance with the rules of the Republican National Convention, no delegate or alternate may be an automatic delegate or alternate. Each delegate or alternate must be elected by his/her respective convention. No delegate to the Republican National Convention shall be bound by party rules or by state law to cast his/her vote for a particular candidate on any ballot at the convention except that the state convention may bind the delegates whom it elects to the National Convention of the Republican Party on the first ballot to vote for a candidate for the office of President of the United States, unless they be released by said candidate.

 

[amy31416]

"The intention was to identify people and who they were going to support," said Aplikowski. "It wasn't to keep out Ron Paul supporters but to present that information to the body of delegates to vote on, which is one of the purposes of the nominating committee."

To put it bluntly: BULLSHIT

 

[Paul Revered]

"Voting results disputed in Minnesota conventions"




BLAINE, Minn. – Ron Paul supporters shook things up in at least three of Minnesota's congressional district conventions yesterday when they captured nearly all of the national delegates and alternates for the Republican National Convention this fall.
/QUOTE]This is great news.

 

[PlzPeopleWakeUp]

nt

 

[Banana]

The questionaire was non-specific. Vote for McCain at the national convention or the state? It never said. Also will you endorse McCain to be a delegates...sure why not. This all means nothing.

If they had had a questionaire that said will you for sure vote McCain at the national convention...then that would be dishonest, but they didn't.

Besides...doesn't it all depend on what the meaning of "is" is?

They specifically said do you support McCain. Almost like a vowel of loyalty.

Hmm, two different stories, just like in the article.

 

[Thomas_Paine]

"Do you pledge to give McCain Primae Noctis rights to your wife?"

I really laughed out loud when I read your post. Thank you for pointing out the absurdity of this Communist style oath of allegiance to the Candidate who didn't even win the popular vote in Minnesota!

 

[acroso]

Banana- would you like some cheese with your whine?

Seriously, join the IRS if you want scrutinize people's questionnaires.

 

[nbhadja]

Wait a minute can some one please clarify this.

So the secret RP delegates said they would vote for McCain so they were chosen to go to state. They then were chosen. How in the world did the people then find out that they were really RP supporters in disguise and that they would vote for RP in the state convention???

 

[AdamT]

What hypocrites!! The corrupt GOP pull all kind of dirty tricks in Louisiana, Nevada, marginalize RP, attack him for being conservative, laugh at him at the debates, try to keep him out, etc and now they try to say we're pulling "dirty tricks".

How entirely laughable. And pathetic.

Way to to RP supporters in MN!!!!

"I think I feel a change in the wind says I.....Take what you get, give nothing back!" - Pirates of the Carribean

 

[ResistTemptation]

It will be interesting to see how the GOP plays this when confronted with their own rules, but regardless, just make sure you vote for the REAL conservative at national no matter what kind of "bound" title these fake republicans give you.

 

[soapmistress]

Wait a minute can some one please clarify this.

How in the world did the people then find out that they were really RP supporters in disguise and that they would vote for RP in the state convention???

I was wondering the SAME thing!