The Nevada State Republican Convention was halted abruptly by a recess from the chair after if became apparent that a Ron Paul upset was in the making. How did this happen? Nevada State Republican conventioneers, of which I am one, were met today with an agenda that included a rubber stamp vote for National Convention delegates, anointed by the Nominating Committee without any input from the county delegates. A floor fight ensued over the rules for delegate selection, and the result was a change in process to allow for nominations from the floor. This vote was by a roughly 7:4 margin where the preselected slate of candidates for the National Convention was discarded. After a recess a party official proposed a limited ballot of five names for each delegate instead of the full compliment in order to "streamline" the process and speed the count. This was rejected out of hand by around a 75% majority. The move, imo, was an attempt to weight the vote to Clark County where most of the population resides. Since RNC rules apparently call for at least three delegates to the National Convention for each Congressional District (Nevada has three CD's) a call for nominations was made and the house divided into the appropriate sections for the selection of these 9 delegates. This contingency was totally unexpected by convention planners and resulted in a lengthy delay during which other business was conducted. Suddenly, Senator Bob Beers, who is the convention chair announced that as a result of our decision to amend the process to give the delegates on the floor a voice in our National delegation, we had caused such a delay as to run us up against the time limit in the rent agreement with the Peppermill Resort and Casino and called a recess and reconvene at an unspecified time and place. I was a delegate at the county convention which was held in the same venue and ran a couple hours long without so much as a peep about problems with the owner of the hall. The dais promptly fled the premises after the recess was called. Rumor has it that 7 of the 9 delegates selected to fill the CD seats were Ron Paul supporters. The balance of the delegation has yet to be nominated and voted upon. Anyone who may be participating in the political process and is a Ron Paul supporter would be well advised to be well prepared for your state's convention. Nothing seems to smarmy a tactic to nullify our vote.
Stories in the local newspapers today. http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080427/NEWS/804270360 http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20080427/NEWS/252102622 Things are getting interesting here in Nevada.
Ron Paul - ABSOLUTE ANARCHY IN RENO, NV - Anarchy pt 1 <object width="500" height="418"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5iKzVTl-eHI&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5iKzVTl-eHI&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="500" height="418"></embed></object> Ron Paul - ABSOLUTE ANARCHY IN RENO, NV - Anarchy pt 2 <object width="500" height="418"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XUMjySV72p8&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XUMjySV72p8&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="500" height="418"></embed></object>
Ron Paul Speech at Nevada Convention Part 1 <object width="500" height="418"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/i5UpO141SmM&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/i5UpO141SmM&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="500" height="418"></embed></object> Ron Paul Speech at Nevada Convention Part 2 <object width="500" height="418"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RvWesJ2ykvg&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RvWesJ2ykvg&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="500" height="418"></embed></object>
The first clip is from immediately after the recess by State Senator Bob Beers. The public address system had been turned off and a shocked hall was trying to understand what was happening to the convention. Just prior to this the count for congressional district candidates had proceeded far enough to make it readily apparent that Ron Paul would take at least seven of the nine seats at stake in this round of the delegate selection process. The parliamentarian had just come to the dais and showed the tally to the party officials, after which Beers came to the podium, cited the lame reasons for his call for recess, and gaveled the convention. This was done without a motion, second, or discussion. Small wonder there was an uproar. The fellow in the red shirt at the podium in the second clip is Mike Weber, a party activist and seeking an elected position in the State Assembly. He is a McCain supporter, but who is also interested in a fair representation for all delegates. He was a major player in getting the rules changed so that the rubber stamp slate that was supposed to be delivered to McCain and the National Convention did not happen. The lights and public address system have been turned back on by this time and he is seeking to determine if a quorum can be established so that the unfinished business of the convention can be continued. Most of the McCain supporters have left the room so that could not be accomplished. As things stand now, the party must issue notice to re-convene. Party official have said that this will probably be in Las Vegas but the rules state that the convention is to be held in Reno for this cycle. Stay tuned...
i had heard that Mike Weber was an honest guy. amazing what the other republigarchs will do to keep the people from having freedom and liberty. thanks for the update nevadan... and thanks for your effort/work at the convention!!! thank God there are a few patriots on ET !!!
Cheers Nevadan...good form. In fact we may know each other. Or at the very least have mutual friends.
Update from Reno Gazette Journal http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008804270360 Technically true, but.... The Paul campaign had anticipated the problem of generating ballots if a rules change could be effected and had a battery of high speed printers and reams or paper on hand at the convention hall. These were offered as a service to the party but were rejected by them. As far as budget restraints, there was an immediate offering by conventioneers of cash to fill the proclaimed shortfall. These offers were ignored. The move is unlikely as the rules specify Reno as the convention site this year and since it has started here and is in recess here it is unlikely that it can be moved. Beers statement is disingenuous. I don't dispute his statement that the Paul campaign received a list of the Delegate Committee annointees, but the rank and file county delegate had not seen them and so had no way to make an informed decision on a vote to commit them as Nevada's delegation. This is the reason for the floor fight for the rules change. If the rules, as given to the convention, had been adopted no recourse would have been left to amend or reject them as delegates. In effect this meant that accepting the rules as proposed was an automatic and irrevocable vote for the Delegate Committee's slate. So much for any input from the county delegates.