MassGOP Allocation Committee bounces delegates and alternates for "failure to follow the rules"

Red Mass Group has learned that the Allocation Committee of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee has informed seventeen delegates and alternates that they are not qualified to go to the convention in Tampa. The reason given is failure to return the proper, signed, affidavit by the given deadline. Allocation Committee Chairman, Ed McGrath, told Red Mass Group in an emailed statement that, "no one who was elected as a delegate and who has followed the rules has been disqualified so far."

The Massachusetts Republican State Committee held congressional district caucuses on Saturday April 28, 2012 to elect 27 delegates and 27 alternates. Before being allowed to stand for election, each nominee for delegate was asked to pledge their support to Mitt Romney per the rules for selection of delegates of the Massachusetts GOP.

Stephen Zykofsky, the Chairman of the committee that set the rules for the selection of delegates, sees this as an important distinction. Zykofsky told Red Mass Group that the rules only apply to nominees for delegate, not those elected at the April 28, 2012 caucus. Zykofsky believes that, "the state party was in its rights to ask for affirmation of support for Mitt Romney before the caucuses were held. That affirmation could have come in the form of a pledge, which was done, or in the form of an affidavit. The rules do not call for affirmation after the election is over."

Zykofsky does stress though that he told elected delegates that they should sign the affidavit, to avoid any pitfalls.

Brad Wyatt, the leader of the Ronald Reagan Liberty Slate, said in an emailed statement, "Disappointed that the Allocation Committee would ignore the Republican voters of the Massachusetts Congressional Districts by refusing to even communicate with the delegates after numerous attempts to reach out to the allocation committee to discuss problems/issues with legality of the affidavit. The continued arrogant attitudes and clear manipulation of the rules by members of MassGOP leadership are a perfect example of why almost 90% Massachusetts residents refuse to be a Registered Republican and active in the Massachusetts Republican Party."

I attended the caucus in my district (my first). I had no idea what to expect. Upon arrival, everyone checked in and was referenced to voter registrations from their town; those not on town lists were given provisional ballots. Weeks later the powers that be in the GOP decided not to count any of the provisional ballots.

I entered the hall and met some folks that had helped with my campaign in 2010; we all studied the fliers given by different candidates and by advocates of the two "slates": Romney slate and Liberty slate. Many of the people in the hall were predetermined to vote the Romney slate and many the Liberty slate.

The candidates were all required to pledge to support Romney at the convention and to follow the rules of the convention. After their pledge, they all gave short presentations. When the vote was held, it became apparent that many of the people predisposed to vote one of the two slates in entirety were swayed by the speeches and voted for other candidates.

There were over two hundred people in this room, there was wonderful excitement that has been lacking in the GOP in Massachusetts. Many that regularly attend these types of events were thrilled at the level of participation and excitement at this event and there were 8 others in the state very similar to this one.

As can be seen in the article cited above, the state GOP has decided not to seat the duly elected delegates, citing non compliance of an arbitrary rule made up after the fact. Actions like this naturally compel one to believe that if they will do this at the level of the party, they will have no problem doing the same when elected; which makes them democrats.

The state GOP has set their brand back decades with this asinine move. Those people that flooded the caucus will rightfully seek other mediums to forward their political ends, those mediums will not include the GOP.

I truly believe we are witnessing the death of the GOP.

This is what the gop gets for playing favorites and changing rules in the middle of the primary to help romney. Look at the states where rules were changed so the more liberals states was winner take all and the conservative states were split. The other candidates were kept off the ballot because of rule changes to help romney. These changes were made in the middle of the primary. Cheater should never prosper.

Reasonable, honest people understand that the two choices are rules and violence.

This is the MA state GOP turning back an attempted Pauliac coup. Romney won over 70% of the vote in MA, Paul won 10%. The delegates rightfully should vote Romney in Tampa and you know it.

You have convinced yourself that Jesus wants you to embrace treachery and to tell crazy, nasty lies against Mitt Romney and any who don’t hate him to the point of distraction as you do.

I think you are wrong as to who it is that wants you to act this way.

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