GOP Delegates Sue To Be Free From Romney

*Note: Though the group filing this suit are called "Lawyers For Ron Paul", they are not part of the Paul campaign, have not been hired by Ron Paul and are working this case pro bono.

This could really throw a wrench in the Romney coronation in Tampa. If successful in the injunction they seek, all delegates going to Tampa will be unbound and will be free to vote for whomever they choose.

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Over 120 delegates to the Republican National Convention have joined a lawsuit against the GOP arguing they have been illegally coerced into choosing Mitt Romney for the party’s presidential nominee and demanding they be “unbound” to vote for another candidate instead.

The federal lawsuit, filed this week in U.S. District Court in California by mostly supporters of Ron Paul, demands the delegates be freed to “vote their conscience” for presidential nominee at the party’s August national convention in Tampa, Fla., rather than being “bound” to vote for a certain candidate, as many state party bylaws require, based on the primary elections and other delegate selection procedures.

Courthouse News Service reports at least another 40 additional national convention delegates have asked to join the lawsuit.

Supporters of the effort say there is “evidence that the voting rights of Ron Paul Republican delegates and voters … have been violated by nearly every state GOP party and the RNC during the 2012 primary election phase.”

The delegates claim the party violated federal law by forcing them to sign loyalty affidavits, under threat of perjury, to vote for Mitt Romney, though he is not yet the official nominee.

“They don’t want to be bound to any candidate, or even be forced to vote for the nominee,” Richard Gilbert, of Gilbert & Marlowe, attorney for the delegates, told Courthouse News. “To have a real convention, the delegates must have free will so that when they meet, they can persuade each other and then decide who to vote for.”

The courts have typically allowed political parties leeway in the nomination of their candidates, but this case asks the court to consider the choice of presidential nominee a “federal election,” subject to laws that would free delegates from party procedures to vote their conscience.

Beyond merely asserting delegates’ “right” to vote their conscience, however, the lawsuit asserts the GOP has engaged in a racketeering-like scheme to push Romney as the candidate.

“The Republican National Committee and its chairman have been aiding the Governor Romney campaign for at least six months,” the lawsuit asserts. “The RNC and its chairman, defendant Reince Priebus, have … combined with a particular candidate with all of the aid the RNC can possibly, but improperly give … to obstruct, intimidate and harass delegates from voting their conscience.”

Specifically, the lawsuit charges Republican officials and operatives have used threats of violence, certified unlawful slates of delegates, demanded affidavits of loyalty to Romney under penalty of perjury and have even altered ballot results to make sure the national convention is stacked with delegates who will vote for Romney.

“Some campaigns act like organized crime syndicates – and I mean organized crime, no doubt about it,” Gilbert told Courthouse News. “In Arizona, the voting machines were rigged so that Ron Paul votes were counted as Mitt Romney votes. It was so intentional that a Romney delegate refused to certify the vote count, and for that he got thrown off the convention.”

The plaintiffs are asking the court to order the RNC to inform delegates they can vote for the nominee of their choice, to reinstate delegates who lost their seats at the convention because they refused to sign loyalty affidavits and to recount ballots by hand or hold another convention in areas “where the sanctity of the ballots are untrustworthy.”

Yet striking down party rules that bind candidates to vote in accordance with the primary process could suddenly open up the nomination to another campaign season, as presidential hopefuls could attempt to sway the elected delegates to their side, a potentiality Gilbert recognizes.

“If the judge rules in our favor, I won’t be surprised if three or four new candidates, say Sarah Palin, jump in and say they want to be considered,” Gilbert told Courthouse News. “It will be the most interesting national convention in my lifetime if the judge rules for us on this.”

A video created by allies of the lawsuit explaining its basics can be seen below:

[video=youtube;MPt2nlyfmfc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MPt2nlyfmfc#![/video]

http://www.wnd.com/2012/06/gop-delegates-sue-to-be-free-from-romney/?cat_orig=politics

 

If true, none of this surprises me. Romney was hand picked just like Obama.

 

The lawsuit has been filed, so that much is true.

Election irregularities have been documented in many states, so that much is true.

The RNC has been working with the Romney campaign prematurely (thus improperly), so that much is true.

The Romney camp, working with the RNC, set up a 'shadow party' in a Nevada after Ron Paul dominated that state's Convention, as just one example of RNC collusion with Romney.

It's already mid-June so the entire suit won't be settled before the convention in August. What the lawyers are seeking immediately is that all delegates be unbound and that properly elected delegates be seated in Tampa.

 

Do you think the legal system will allow justice in this case if the RNC is as powerful and coercive as you say they are?

 

Romney was hand picked by republican voters during the primaries... are republicans having buyers remorse already


.

 

Romney is a big government minded kind of guy and both parties are big government oriented. I just rolled on the floor laughing as the GOP and Democrats haggled over cutting spending by a few million dollars. Are you frigg'in serious with a trillion dollar deficit?

Romney laid out the blueprint for Obamacare with Romneycare, so he is the perfect successor for the cookie cutter big government guy like "W" was. At the end of the day, Romney will stil maintain trillion dollar deficits and embrace the massive entitlement system like all those before him. As a matter of fact, he may be the one chosen to start the next war either in Syria or Iran or both. All that is needed is for an empty suit to be appointed so they will be good little soldiers for thier big government party.

 

The suit has been filed in the 9th Circuit, which is probably as good a place as any to get a favorable ruling.

Supposedly Judge David O. Carter has been assigned the case. Here's the link to his Wiki page.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_O._Carter

It seems that the lawyers will argue that the delegate selection process is part of a federal election and there are statutes in place governing them. The GOP likely will argue that they are a private entity and can make up their own rules as they see fit. Of course, even using that tack it can be shown that they have violated their own rules.

IMO, the Lawyers For Ron Paul have a good chance of prevailing if given a fair hearing on the merits of the case.

 

The sad thing is that most conservatives would agree with the things I have said about Romney, but are scared to death to come out and say it for fear Obama gets reelected. It is the only thing that keeps the GOP afloat.

 

Most Conservatives know Romney is no Conservative, but he is the 'presumptive nominee' and he has an 'R' next to his name. Philosophically, most probably agree with Ron Paul more but have had it drilled into their heads from day one that he's unelectable. Also, the investor class is scared to death of anyone that wants to balance the budget and it's that class that rules the GOP.

I don't think things are that much different on the Dem side, either. The main difference is that Democrats are for more social welfare and the GOP is for more corporate welfare. Neither party's policy makes much sense in a country that is $16 trillion in debt.

 

What I find on both the left and right is admiration for Ron Paul on some level. Very odd.

 

Which gives lie to the narrative that he is unelectable. IMO, he could bridge the partisan divide and truly be 'America's President'.

Did you notice the other thread I posted about Ron Paul winning the Iowa State Convention this weekend? People are not giving up on him despite the MSM making like we are headed to the general election already. I wonder how long they will manage to ignore the lawsuit?

 

But you assume that voters are what is needed for Paul to be elected. Had you ever considered that voters are irrelavent? After all, Hillary won the popular vote in the democratic party.

Those on the left and right are just to uncomfortable supporting Ron Paul. Although they may have more respect for him than Obama and Romney, they do not see him as electible, and they may be right for the reason I've given. As a result, don't expect alot of participation from either the left or right on this thread.

 

Votes are exactly what is needed to win in the general election (Gore v Bush 2000 notwithstanding). Not true in the delegate selection process, though.

America needs to realize that we can't keep up our spendthrift ways on borrowed money. More credit downgrades seem to be on the horizon, which will result in credit costing us more. That is when reality will visit America. It is much better to get our financial house in order while we still have some control over our own destiny. Ideologies aside, Ron Paul is the only one that will cut actual spending and our deficits, which will eliminate the need for more borrowed money. Obama and Romney both will take our debt to the $20 trillion range. I think the tipping point will be reached in doing that.

I don't expect a lot of participation in this thread or the one about RP winning Iowa. It's much more entertaining to play left v right in a game of political trivial pursuit. Well, the info is there for any that are interested.

 

I have to say, I love your optimism and energy, however, I'm far too jaded to think that Ron actually ever had a shot. That said, his movement is what is important right now. Just don't give up your optimism and energy once Romney is appointed the next president.

 

The MSM and the Old Guard have done everything they can to ensure he doesn't have a shot. Realistically, the only shot is a brokered convention, which may still happen, especially in light of the recent lawsuit. Even without a win, we have to not give up so that the message is brought front and center. I think events between now and Tampa may help us in that.

My hope is that, short of a win, the GOP is left with a severe case of buyer's remorse if Romney is the nominee. That may do a lot to turn around the party, especially with all the new blood in it. I just hope that we haven't sunk too far by 2016 for anyone to be able to salvage the economy.

I don't agree that Romney will be the next POTUS. The GOP has to make up 90 electoral votes from 2008 for that to happen. There is little to distinguish him from Obama and Obama is a much better debater. There is certainly an 'anybody but Obama' movement, but I don't think it's enough to spell victory for Romney.

Thanks for your input so far on this thread. Lots of views, but no comments from anyone else.

 

ron paul has not won a single state primary election, not one

he could barely even muster 10% of the vote in his home state's primary

it's irrational to think ron paul could or should be nominated

all ron paul is good for is to cause trouble

 

That's because the election was too late, when Romney was already decided as the nominee. The fact that he has consistently won 10-15% in every state despite Romney being the de-facto nominee and Paul not actively campaigning should give anyone pause.

Which is a great thing. We NEED to cause a little trouble with the system.

 

no, the fact is that you're wrong

in mississippi ron paul got about 4% of the vote, 6% in louisiana

most rational people don't seek trouble

 

Its too bad that the way things are progressing.. people wont wake up until they are in the belly of the beast.

 

how do you know that ron paul isn't the beast?

 

I'm talking about after everyone else dropped out, Romney became the de facto nominee, and Paul stopped actively campaigning.

Conjecture, not fact.

 

Becuase Ron Paul is not the one who has been raping the american taxpayer for the past 60 years. It has been the two party establishment at the behest of Corporate Multinational/America.

I dont agree with everthing Ron Paul says.. his domestic financial policies and tax plans give me great cause for concern... But his plan as a package makes a HELL of alot more sense that Obama's or Romney's (same crapola). PLUS BIG FROOKING PLUS HERE the MSM and big finance firms/ military industrial complex/Corporate and social Welfare entities are terrified at the mere thought of Ron Paul even haing a shot at the Presidency... If he was Championed by the Republican Party.. I have no doubt in my mind that he would win in a landslide.

Just look at what Ron Paul has accomplished while being torn down at every turn by the MSM and every Republican politician out there. I'll bet Ron paul had as much free negative publicity during the primary circus as the other republican candidates had paid positive publicity.

 

Because he has a thirty year record of opposing the beast?

 

Utter nonsense and sour grapes. The Republican Party can do whatever it wants, it is THEIR PARTY and THEIR nomination. THEY set the rules. Same would apply to the Democrat party and any other party. If they want all delegates to vote for whom they were chosen to vote for the first round that is the way it is.

 

Are you a lawyer?