TAMPA, Fla. — Maine’s delegation on Monday will appeal a decision by the Republican National Committee to limit the number of Ron Paul supporters allowed into the GOP convention here.
And Paul’s supporters from Maine continued a call for a boycott of the convention and lauded Gov. Paul LePage for his decision to stay home.
In a scathing report, an RNC committee chronicled myriad problems at Maine’s GOP convention in May and recommended splitting the state’s 20 delegates evenly between backers of Paul and supporters of Mitt Romney.
The appeal will ask that Maine’s full slate of delegates be restored, delegate Brent Tweed said Sunday outside a massive rally for Paul held in Tampa.
“We’re not willing to make a deal,” Tweed said. “It’s not right that Maine loses half its delegates for supporting the wrong candidate.”
He had no idea, though, what Monday will hold. Convention officials shortened the schedule under the looming threat of Tropical Storm Isaac, which is expected to boil off Florida’s west coast Monday morning. Officials will open the convention briefly Monday, then adjourn until Tuesday.
Mark Willis, a newly elected state Republican committeeman, said he would boycott the convention completely if the state’s full delegation wasn’t seated, and he intends to urge the rest of the delegates to do the same.
“I won’t attend. I won’t set foot in there and I’ll give a plea for everyone not to attend,” Willis said Sunday, minutes after Ashley Ryan of Maine, a national committeewoman for the RNC, spoke to a raucous crowd during Paul’s “We Are the Future” rally inside the University of South Florida Sun Dome.
Ryan received a standing ovation when she was introduced to the audience, which nearly filled the 10,000-seat auditorium normally used for college basketball games but still fell short of organizers’ expectations for turnout. Vacant seats lined the upper rows, and the large scoreboard in a nearby baseball stadium set up to accommodate an overflow crowd broadcast to empty bleachers.
She praised LePage for following through on his promise not to attend the convention if all of Maine’s delegates weren’t seated.
“I am so proud of our governor. He is still standing tall and refusing to participate in the Republican National Convention,” she said. “Maine is becoming the example of what a liberty state can be.”
During the rally opening, Doug Wead, billed as master of ceremonies, alluded to the fight over allowing Paul delegates into the convention.
“For every one of you there are at least 10, 20, maybe 50 other delegates duly elected who didn’t even get here,” he said.
Outside the rally, which had the lights and staging of a rock concert and the fervor of a spirited revival, a group of disgruntled Maine delegates said they had yet to receive credentials admitting them into the convention and expressed their displeasure at the prospect of not being allowed to vote for their candidate.
“After 20 years of carrying water for the party, this just breaks my heart,” said delegate Andy Stinson, the pastor for the Second Congregational Church in Warren who went from alternate delegate to Tampa visitor after the committee ruling. “I’m mortified. I have an obligation to represent the Republicans of Maine who elected me.”
“I’m disheartened. This is an honor on my part to be part of this convention but I’ve been smacked in the face so often, I don’t know,” said delegate Bryan Daugherty, state committeeman for Penobscot County. “We just want fairness and transparency.”
The delegates said there was no transportation arranged Monday to take them from their hotel miles from the downtown Tampa Bay Times Forum where the convention will take place.
“Instead of kicking us to the curb, they should welcome us,” Tweed said.
“I’m watching my nation fall apart around me,” said delegate Pete Harring, a carpenter who served on LePage’s transition team and founded Maine ReFounders/The Maine Tea Party. “My voice will be heard.”
News Alert…. the national Republican party doesn’t give a hoot if they lose ALL the delegates from Maine, as long as they appear united in Tampa… News Alert…
2012 RNC = irrelephant
Obama will have more vote against him then Rommey will have vote for him, which puts Rommey as our next president. / – + = rommey.. americans like shiny stuff so rommey wins
Through all this I don’t think we’ve heard from Ron Paul.
I wonder why………
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj-huXq_ts8&feature=colike
You never hear from Ron Paul because the media doesn’t give him the time of day. The same happens with many politicians all over the place, they only want to show certain people.
STOP ACFTING S GD foolish sit down shut up Ron Pail is not going anywhere stay home and help the poor people in Wasington County.
Nobody cares about Ron Paul. He is not going to win the election so they should be shut out. Let them go cry in a corner.
You know, it is attitudes like yours that kill the concept of liberty and justice for all. Shut up!
Ron Paul supporters have as much right as Rommeys supporters to be seated. Everyone knows Rommeys is going to be the one. so what are they scared of?
So why do Ron Paul supporters have to be present then? They just want to complain and nothing more and if you tell me I’m lying, then you are not facing the truth.
I thought the Republican party stood for freedom? How can you be for freedom and then advocate silencing people who dissent, or as you prefer “complain.”
Good thought, but we do not all have the right to dissent or complain.
The GOP is hypocritical about almost everything they publicly support. Their words are mostly just a ruse to win votes and push the real republican agenda of using America and Americans as puppets and slaves to satisfy their greed.
The GOP’s Big Tent is now a pup tent.
…and getting smaller.
No kidding. The last three republican presidents have all said they favor smaller government and promptly spend their whole term spending like drunken sailors. So I guess if you like putting tax cuts for the wealthy on a credit card, vote republican.
The irony here is beautiful
You mean the irony of these babies complaining as the R’s nationwide are trying to screw millions out of their right to vote?Yes that is the irony.Amazing that anyone would support a candidate who wants to remove what few regulations there are on Wall Street.
Kevin_, I agree with you. There is no possible way that Ron Paul could win a national contest even if he could pull out the Republican nomination. His ideals are not in line with the overwelming majority of the Republicans. If he wants to be the true “Libertarian” then he can run in that party. He and his followers are trying to hijack the convention. There is no way that he will get a “Susan Lucci” award and get the nod we did that with McCain. I won’t vote for him. I would rather take 4 more years of Obama mucking stuff up than take the blame of Paul doing it. I don’t believe in ‘name calling’ but he and his followers remind me of a cult.
So intimidating, threatening, and causing bodily harm to force delegates to vote for someone they don’t want to vote for is okay with you. This is not about Paul losing it’s about the freedom to vote for the candidate you choose to vote for. When the RNC can force you to vote for their hand picked puppet it takes away your freedom of choice. When they cheat and lie and strip legal delegates to do so it becomes criminal. Romney should according to RNC rules been kicked off the ballot in every state because they have backed him in every state before he won the nomination. That is according to their rules illegal.
Where are your facts to back up your claim?
Please post a link to any report or video where any physical harm or intimidation has been presented. I haven’t seen any and I watch a lot of news throughout the day.
What the Paul supporters in so many states can’t deal with is that by RNC rules they violated multiple state caucuses. When the rules committee made their ruling and suggestion the Maine delegation winced. I applaud all the Ron Paul supporters for their “All or nothing”. It is very admirable.
But until you show me actual proof of your allegations please don’t make false accusations. It does nothing to prove your point as well as the validity of your candidate and it makes you look like a buffoon.
Ron Paul won the majority of delegates in Maine in the primary. Charlie Webster declared Romney the winner before all the votes were even tallied and he provided skewed vote counts to make it appear Romney had won. When Maine held the Republican State convention most of the delegates were Paul delegates. Charlie Webster had pre-ordained a convention chairman without a vote before the start of the convention. At the start of the convention the delegates elected Brent Tweed. He ran the convention according to the rules and parlimentary procedure which he is an expert at. Charlie Webster was pissed off about this and so were the rest of the RINO’s so they concocted a report which was full of lies and sent it to the RNC. The RNC read the report and fell for it hook line and sinker. Paul delegates have their legal right to be seated because they were voted in as majority during the primary. Charlie Webster will be being thrown out as Maine Republican chair when his term expires. The Republican party in Maine is broken and will never be repaired because of these dirty tricks and the fracture which has occurred. The DEmocrats were in control of the state for forty years before the Republicans took over. The Republicans have blown it and the Democrats will most likely control the state for another 40 years.
So there IS still light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s not a train afterall! The Democrats will save Maine from the Nutballs (Webster, Summers, LeRage, Paul). With leadership like that it is no wonder that the Republican party is fractured and dysfunctional.
Yes there is light. Sometimes it takes an experience such as this to confirm that the other party is better at managing the state’s affairs. And yes the term “nutballs” fits perfectly.
Funny comparison, considering most Christians consider mormonism a cult as well.
Ok so Libertarian Republicans should not get support from the party and be made to stand on their own. How about the Tea Party? Same with them? Or what about the Log Cabin Republicans? The party is so broken up into parts, if you made each part stand on its own there would be no Republican Party to speak of.
They have a right to have a say about who they support and what the platform to be voted on says. They were sent by their communities to represent their positions. It is indeed a travesty of liberty and justice to prevent them from attending.
They are just butt hurt and nothing more. Again, let them go cry in a corner. Nobody cares about Ron Paul.
This isn’t a coronation. While your at the convention maybe you can rename the RNC to the Politburo. These are the tactics that the communists and tinhorn dictators use to stifle dissent. What are you afraid of?
It’s not about winning the nomination. It’s about reminding the Party leadership (and the base) that the Republican party is not the Party of God, as many of them would prefer.
The majority may not care, but indeed some do. And they have a right to a voice and vote on what their Party stands for.
That should not be a reason though to be shut out, sure it appears Ron Paul does not have a chance, people supported Rick Perry and he didn’t have a chance either. It is the principal at hand here, votes were done delegates were selected and surprisingly LePage, a Mittens fan is opting out of going, or he just figured out the overlay to Jamaica was going to not happen due to Issac.
Ron Paul has zero chance, none, nada, zippo. Those last two words are not real words but I like them.
Anyways I know you folks are going to cry it is about principal so go ahead and cry. You Ron Paul folks are like kids in the check out line that are told they cannot have candy. You then jump up and down and throw a huge fit when you don’t get your way.
Grow up and deal with the fact that Ron Paul is 100% done with. He was done with from the start but a lot of you failed to even realize that.
Nada is a Spanish word.
Zippo is a brand name word.
It matters not that Ron Paul can’t win, it matters plenty that he be allowed to speak.
But not his ideas. And they have the right to organize and get those ideas in the platform. Have you even been a delegate? Then you know not of what you speak.
Well, since Ron paul got 20% of the Repub vote nationwide, I would say that there are quite a few people who care what Ron paul thinks.
The Rebubs are reenacting Custers Last Stand, they fail too see the sway Independant voters will have in this election.
Our last hope is that Ron paul will run as an Independant. Regardless I will write his name in on my ballot, the RomBama alternatives are 2 heads of the same snake.
this is a very close presidential race. i don’t think it’s a good idea for the republican party to alienate ron paul supporters. fortunately, attitudes like yours will help president obama remain in the white house. keep up the good work.
People wonder why Ron Paul supporter are doing this… I don’t..
They are doing this because it is the right thing to do.. Plain and simple, no other explaination needed.
It will benifit the future elections forever in Maine.. Thank you for all your hard work Paul supporters. Keep up the fight.
Get serious Ron Who
Keep following the sheep, my friend.
Would you say the same if the situation were flipped, and it was the democrats in this situation? The delegates were elected, Romney is going to get the nomination (likely going to lose the election), so the Republicans have nothing to fear they are going to get their candidate regardless of whether or not the Paul supporters are seated. They should be seated without all the squabbling, and I would say the same if it were the Democrats squabbling.
Yes, I would.
Do whatever, just keep that elephant bellied bullyfaced baffoon away for there.
So now we know where the power lies. It is not with the people elected by their communities to represent them. It lies with those who pull the strings behind the scenes.
It is not their way they are standing upon principle for. It is their right as Maine delegates.
Not all of us are given that privilege.
Were you at the convention Momma? It was a farce. The Ron Paul people destroyed any semblance of “convention”.
No I have to admit I was not. But, it was a farce because Ron Paul was well represented? If that is your position then you do not understand how a convention works. I have attended a convention as a delegate. I left saying, THIS is what democracy looks like. No one ‘controlled’ anything. No one pulled strings behind the scenes. It was exhilarating.
It was a farce because non-voting (supposedly) Alternate Delegates were allowed to sit with voting Delegates and voting Alternate Delegates despite being told that they were to sit in a separate part of the convention hall. The Ron Paul filled the Alternate Delegate slots and had ALL of them voting with voting Delegates and properly voting Alternate Delegates. The Ron Paul people simply took over the convention. When they elected their Chairman, Weed, from York County. Nothing happened. The convention came to a complete halt till Lunch Time. Then, after lunch .. nothing happened. Anyone there will tell you it was a total waste of time. A farce.
I heard it was the Romney people who came in expecting a certain result and when it appeared headed in the other direction, they simply stole it. The RNC has no business trying to split the difference. Their job is to seat the delegates selected. That’s it.
If it ends up benefiting Obama in the end, then so be it. There’s no reason for them to try negotiate their way around it, unless itis to favor the preferred Rominee Ryan.
This Teabpublican Party is not representative of the GOP, much less voters in a democracy. We see it it over and over already. No, this is the just preview of ‘the big tent’ with a two-story hydraulic garage added on. Obviously off scale, architecturely unsound, with really bizarre aesthetics.
The “Teapublicans” as you call them are the Ron Paul supporters…..
I don’t think the nation is falling apart but I think the Republican party is falling apart. Big time.
It appears that the Republican party has self destructed from their own Extremists within. The Republicans have become a dictatorship from within not allowing any kind of discussion about candidates or their extremist radical platform. Glad to see their kind of Fascist Agenda explode in their faces.
Moon them…. http://www.dailypaul.com/251137/braveheart-mooning-scene
To all of the Romney supporters, you should realize that Ron Paul is much smarter, and much more honest than the other republicans. He is a modern day Thomas Jefferson, but unfortunately there are still too many people who are unable to comprehend that fact. Ron Paul’s supporters are also much
smarter, and much more honest than the other republicans, as well as very many democrats.
The current GOP knows which side their bread is buttered on. Paul’s policies would dismantle much of the military industrial complex and that’ll never do.
and they retaining power won’t do.. I would rather the republicans get dismantled and rebuilt with higher moral standings then let them win this one…
Yes, he would definitely dismantle the military industrial complex, that is only made possible by the federal reserve inflating, and thus debasing the currency. The same thing can be said about all welfare. The federal reserve must inflate and debase the value of the currency in order to pay for it all. This is why Dr.Paul wants to end the fed, which not only debases the dollar, but it also causes widespread malinvestment, and misallocation of resources due to the manipulation of interest rates. The fed also creates a lot of moral hazards where people will take too many risks knowing the government and the fed are there too back them up when they fail.
Se, you’re a perfect example of the problem. You quote the doctor’s position without regard to reality. Where is this said inflation? Two rounds of QE and it should be exploding. If anything, our model is closer to the experience of Japan in the 90’s when they suffered deflation. And like I said, picture a major cut back of military spending. Millions who now build ships, planes, bombs and yeah, even my pals at the rope factory will lose their jobs which will cut government revenue and yes, they will have to be paid unemployment. You want to see the deficit explode? Play that scenario out.
Now that the GOP leadership has stolen the election from Ron Paul in many different ways, times and places, I hope that Barry Soetoro (aka Barack Obama) gets another four years so the Romney supporters will suffer the consequences of not supporting Ron Paul to begin with.
It now obvious to many of us that Ron Paul haters also hate liberty, and they have fought against liberty in many ways throughout the past year.
Lepage is ruining his political career by doing this. he wont be re elected. his biggest mistake will be killing maincare. keep it up Lepage
Mittens supporters won’t allow them any slack.
This post may never make it through, all I can do is hope that it is one of those that slips through. I can no longer post a comment in the Waterville Sentinel or the Portland Herald due to CENSORSHIP of Disqus and those two newspapers. As an American citizen who has served his country for 20 years, served in full-time law enforcement for 24 years I believe that I have the privilege of commenting and be allowed to give an opinion. I know that Democrats everywhere want to enjoy that privilege also, I am not given that right. I am not a Republican, I am an independent. Those three entities are acting in full bloom by CENSORING. I read those comments by Democrats who have full rights to opinions, I may not like some of the comments, but I read them and take them as TRUTH. Hold on to your rights Democrats before someone CENSORS you! To the moderators at Disqus and at the Sentinel and Herald, someday you may be banned too. I do not agree with the actions of the Ron Paul delegates, but at least they are coming out and are allowed to post comments which is a good thing.
Try resetting your browser and deleting all the old cookies etc. If that doesn’t work then set up another Disqus account using a new name and a new hotmail account.
It’s called TOS.
I’m not a Ron Paul supporter. However I am an American.
I hope the Pauliticians remember who turned their back on them come November.
Is your sympathy with the Ron Paul delegates, some of whom are your friends and neighbors?
From what little I have read, the Ron Paul people prevailed at the Maine Republican Convention. A friend who was there told me that “the Romney people gave us a bit of trouble.”
For years the people who run the Republican Convention have preached to their flocks, “Govmnt bad, govmnt bad, govmnt bad.”
And then when a crowd of Tea Party people they had indoctrinated show up and chose for a candidate a man who says, “Govmnt bad,” should anyone be surprised?
There are those who wave flags and tout the democratic process — until the voters they thought they had well under control turn against them. And then they cry fraud.
Is your sympathy with the defrauded Ron Paul delegates?
The humble Farmer
It’s amazing how petty the bickering becomes when it comes to politics. It’s no wonder nothing can get done in this country, politicians and their supporters are too busy making sure no one else gets anything better than what they have. It’s disgusting.
Yes, and the most efficent orderly form of government involves a dictatorship, or absolute monarchy.
I wanted fairness at the GOP State Convention in Augusta. The Ron Paul Brownshirts made a mockery of fairness, decorum and common courtesy.
If you want “fairness” “decorum” and/or ‘common courtesy” you should stay away from politics. Our process is “messy” “confrontational” and often won by the folks who scream loudest. It has been that way since the begining of our Republic. The constitutional convention of 1789 resulted in , fist fights, delegates stomping out. and at least one gun duel
You had to know the convention was going to be a direct reflection of the caucus debacle.
Politics, both sides, are full of liars and cheaters. People have excepted this in politics, That is sad..
This is just an example of the rich RNC, along with Mr. Romney’s and Ryan’s rich connections to control who gets into the convention. Just like trying to pull the wool over the eyes of Americans by not being up front with Romney’s years of tax returns, including hidding his riches in Swiss banks and island banks outside the U.S. If Romney is so concernedf about our economy, then why didn’t he and his wife put their riches in U.S. banks and invest in companies to create jobs? I just hope people stop being fooled by the RNC and its members in Congress who have consistantly voted no on every bill presented to create jobs for Americans, including no votes for healthcare, to extend unemployment benefits and lower taxes for middleclass and poor for the last four years since President Obama took office. The Speaker of the House and the Minority Leader of the Senate should be ashamed of themselves for promoting an agenda to get rid of President Obama, instead of working for the good of Americans.
Watching C-Span following both houses will open your eyes as to who is doing the job they were elected for.
I hope the Bush tax cuts end, for your benifit. The Government can use the money.. Oh P.S. if the Bush tax cuts do end the middle class will pay an additional $5,000.00 per year.. Be careful what you wish for.. LOL!!
that’s not true
Oh yes it is… The middle class will pay alot more. I have nothing in the game. keep it get rid of it I don’t care.. but the middle class will care.
Say what you wish, what you said is untrue.
The government can use the money? Can they?? Sorry…I can put it to better use.
It has become obvious if you look at this situation that the only reason that Ron Paul ran this year was to position his son for the future. He had no chance to win yet held on to the end simply to get enough delagates to have a say at the convention. Look at the deal that he made with the RNC. I will not contest the convention if: There is a tribute to me and my son gets to be a speaker. Now with that deal being made someone tell me I am wrong and this wasn’t about Setting Rand up for a future run and nothing else. Ron Paul is retiring from Congress in January. He knew he couldn’t win the primaries let alone the election. This was typical political cronyisim.
Had not been a Ron Paul supporter, but did see democracy in action at the Maine Republican convention in May. The election was duly won by the delegates voted on. The chaos was created by the long established R’s who were outsmarted by the younger people involved, and the former have not been able to stand the embarrassment.
For those here who are whining about Paul people not being “polite”, consider this: Delegates to the convention from U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the Northern Marianas Islands will be getting better seats than Ron Paul’s supporters at the convention. The delegations from Nevada, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota and Oklahoma, all states with significant Paul supporters, will be located on the outer fringe of the convention floor. What does this say to the thousands Maine republicans who preferred Ron Paul over Mittens? That we (“kooks”, “brownshirts” and “flakes”) are not welcome in the party. Amazing! Many of us are lifelong republicans! Our money, votes and hard work helped take Maine back last election!
What do Roxanne Quimby & Ron Paul have in common— both have failed support in Maine…
Ron Paul won in Maine, so the support was there… I guess you did not hear. I am just curious why did you personally feel the need to lie in your comment??? I am just trying to figure out why someone would lie about something as serious as this.. I’m writing in Ron Paul on the ballot, I would have voted for the winner but because the winner lies and cheats I’ll stand my moral grounds.
Dont get me wrong, Romney isnt a saint, but Ron Paul “did not” win the Republican vote in Maine. The reality is that if Maine Republicans had to have another election again, neither Ron Paul nor Mitt Romney would win.
Lastly, if you waste your vote on a write-in, and Obama does get reelected, your will have aided in Obama’s reelection and dooming our economy.
Romney is a putz, but he holds the best chance of unseating Obama…!
Ron Paul is just another Ross Perot, but I’m guessing you tthrew that election to the Democrats as well.
You may as well be voting them in.
Run as an Independent!
Time for these people to hang up their spurs, they’ve overstayed….
“I’m disheartened. This is an honor on my part to be part of this convention but I’ve been smacked in the face so often, I don’t know,” said delegate Bryan Daugherty, state committeeman for Penobscot County. “We just want fairness and transparency.”
Do not be disheartened. This was the only way people would be able to see who is “representing” us.
The government created the federal reserve in order to pay for all of it’s welfare and warfare. To do this it must inflate and debase the value of the currency. This is why Dr.Paul wants to end the fed, which not only debases the dollar, but it also causes widespread malinvestment, and misallocation of resources due to the manipulation of interest rates. The fed also creates a lot of moral hazards where people will take too many risks knowing the government and the fed are there too back them up when they fail.
Without the federal reserve, the government would be unable to sustain all of it’s welfare and warfare.
The federal reserve is a vote buying and campaign contribution scam that transfers money from the people to a few counterfeiters and big spending rich people and politicians at the top