Posted on 07/14/2016 9:07:53 AM PDT by ObozoMustGo2012
CLEVELAND — Barely two hours into the much-anticipated meeting of the Convention Rules Committee, a backroom deal may be in the works. According to two sources, Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus and top RNC officials are huddling privately with Senator Mike Lee, Virginia Committeeman Morton Blackwell, and leaders of the Never Trump movement to discuss a procedural compromise that would allow for gimmick-free votes on anti-Trump measures in exchange for their cooperation in not gumming up the works and prolonging the Rules Committee meeting unnecessarily. The discussion is taking place during a recess from the Rules Committee meeting, which was caused by a printer jam inside the hearing room. (There are murmurs in the room that the extended recess — see the UPDATE below — has nothing to do with a printer jam, but rather with this backroom meeting.)
Kendal Unruh, the Colorado delegate who has led the charge to allow convention delegates to vote their conscience — essentially unbinding them from supporting presumptive nominee Donald Trump — is part of the meeting. So is Ken Cucinnelli, a Cruz ally who is leading the charge to restructure certain guidelines of the GOP’s nominating process. It’s unclear whether anti-Trump representatives will agree to the deal. The incentive is unclear, as they are assured of a vote on their amendments anyway — and, in the eyes of their allies, their best chance at success may be wearing down their fellow delegates with a long, drawn-out meeting.
UPDATE I (10:15 a.m.): Rules Committee chair Enid Mickelsen announced at roughly 10:15 a.m. that the committee would recess until 1 p.m. due to technical issues. This adds even greater urgency to Priebus’s goal of expediting the meeting. It got off to a slow start: Amendments were offered to 9 of the first 12 rules of the Republican party. There are 42 rules total. (None of the amendments have yet been debated; they are simply registered by delegates to be debated later.) Mickelsen made clear that the proceedings will last at least until Friday. But they can go no later than 5 a.m. Saturday, when the Secret Service needs to sweep the room to prepare it for other convention-related events.
UPDATE II (11 a.m.): According to multiple Rules Committee sources, the word is that Unruh, who has organized the anti-Trump rebellion, can’t get anywhere near 28 votes without the aid of Cuccinelli, who is separately rallying support for changes to the Republican Party’s nominating process. Sources say Cuccinelli has realized Unruh won’t have the numbers even with him whipping on her behalf, and is open to brokering an agreement with Priebus under which he wins some modifications in exchange for backing down from the anti-Trump measures and allowing the rest of the Rules Committee meeting to proceed quickly and without the incessant offering of new amendments.
UPDATE III (11:30 a.m.): Two smart points from a longtime RNC member, veteran of the Rules Committee and observer of the current negotiations: First, with the meeting recessed until 1 p.m., every minute that goes by is leverage lost for Priebus. If an agreement isn’t reached by the time the committee re-convenes, Unruh and her allies will be emboldened to push forward with their anti-Trump measures. This means, essentially, that Priebus has a 1 p.m. deadline to get a deal done. Second, the RNC official says if Priebus is successful, everyone will get something they want — except Unruh. The RNC chairman will get a smooth Rules Committee meeting; Cuccinelli will get some Cruz-friendly reforms to the primary process. Unruh, however, will get nothing in exchange for watching her anti-Trump efforts wither and die. “Do they have a bone they can throw Kendal?” the RNC official said. “Probably not. I think she goes under the bus.” (Another RNC official says despite Cuccinelli’s realization, Unruh still believes she’ll have 28 votes. “She’s high,” the official said of the Colorado delegate.
UPDATE IV (11:55 a.m.): The meeting has broken up, and sub-groups are now convening to discuss whether the terms of the negotiations are acceptable, according to a source involved. There does not appear to be a specific agreement in place, but rather some broad parameters for an eventual deal. It’s almost noon, however, and the 1 o’clock deadline (see UPDATE III) is fast approaching.
Yep lets clear the way for a divisive convention followed by anti-Trump hyperbole.
#NeverTrumpers=Democrats without the D.
If it happens, it will be them stepping onto the political gallows and pulling the release cord themselves....the trouble is that the Freedom of the People will die with their political careers.....
I'm ever more pissed about Cruz and company - looks like he's just another "Rubio/Bush Latino" that sounded good but panned out to be just another hack.
Damn purists will give liberals the court for generations
You have a nominee that has taken out 16 candidates, you have a nominee that has brought in over 14 million new voters, you have a nominee that stands at 1527 delegates; you have a nominee that is raising tons of money for the RNC party, do you really think they are going to let a bunch of ‘no bodies’ like Romney and crew ruin that?
I don’t think so!!!
Appears never Trump has failed.
Cruz is the root cause of this nonsense.
He has about 15 more minutes of fame and then he will spend
the rest of his career as a much deminished man in the senate.
Cruz could have put a stop to this nonsense months ago.
Now Pissonus has to try to clean up Cruz’s mess.
[Cuccinelli will get some Cruz-friendly reforms to the primary process.]
Ummm... I wonder what “reforms” they are thinking of that are “Cruz-friendly”?? More caususes??
This PROVES this whole “Never Trump” bulls**t was started by/centered around Lyin’ Ted!!!
FYI
I hope mike lee loses his seat this year and Cruz in 2018. Two dispicable freaks. Why trump is giving Cruz time to talk is beyond me.
RNC official said. “Probably not. I think she goes under the bus.” (Another RNC official says despite Cuccinelli’s realization, Unruh still believes she’ll have 28 votes. “She’s high,” the official said of the Colorado delegate.
LoL. Just as I thought.
Mike Lee won’t lose his seat. He’s being challenged by a transvestisite (D - Salt Lake).
I voted for Cruz, and my state went for Cruz. Therefore, I FULLY EXPECT my state’s delegates to vote Cruz...as his campaign is only ‘suspended’ at this time.
However, I also expect EVERY DAMN DELEGATE that Trump won to vote Trump.
If I didn’t have that expectation, I wouldn’t have bothered to vote in the primary.
And frankly, if the RNC is going to undercut the process, the states should no longer foot the bill for a GOP primary...since its apparently moot.
[He’s being challenged by a transvestisite (D - Salt Lake).]
I would vote for the tranny before I’d vote for Lee.
[He’s being challenged by a transvestisite (D - Salt Lake).]
I would vote for the tranny before I’d vote for Lee.
Don't be so sure...people in Utah are not the same as they used to be and Mike Lee and Mia Love have sold out Utah to Cruz and to Romney...don't bet against Utah...
BRAVO, REINCE PRIEBUS!!
His support of Trump has been on a par with Paul Manafort in keeping the delegates in line and having Trump’s back every step of the way!!
I agree. Never trusted them from the git-go.
GOOD!
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