From a GOP Delegate Insider – Thoughtful Summary About the RNC Event & the Rules Fiasco

From a Colorado GOP delegate, here’s a very thorough and thoughtful summary of what happened inside the RNC last week, specifically regarding the rules change fiasco.  For a full understanding of why this information is so critical to all Republicans, be sure to also view a revealing video here.  

Anil Mathai’s Summary Report from His Experience at the 2012 RNC in Tampa, FL:

In response to the overwhelming amount of emails I have received, I have summarized my views from this week’s RNC. Please forward it on to your colleagues, friends, constituents, etc. Thanks! ~ am

Good Morning,

My name is Anil Mathai and I was one of 36 Delegates from Colorado to the 2012 RNC in Tampa, FL. I was so honored and humbled to attend. I ran for delegate from CD 7 (which includes Adams and Jefferson Counties). When I ran I was very clear on whom I would vote for and my positions on a whole range of issues were made very clear, as you can see in the attached campaign post cards.

Delegation

I enjoyed developing relationships with various delegation members. They represented multiple counties, came from different backgrounds, and were a joy to be around. The delegation included people who supported Gov. Romney, Sen. Santorum and Congressman Paul. The delegation was led by Weld County Commissioner Sean Conway, who did a great job. We have people with different views and rightly so, that is why it was fun to be involved. I was assuming that after the RNC there would be more unity, and I think there was but the Rules issues got in the way. Overall, I enjoyed meeting all the patriots on the delegation and Colorado Republican voters should be commended for voting in high quality individuals into the delegation.

Voting for a Presidential Candidate

When I ran, I was very clear who I would be voting for in the first round at the RNC – Sen. Rick Santorum. Since Sen. Santorum released his delegates only days before the convention, I still wasn’t sure about voting for Gov. Romney. As I came from the east coast, I knew of his positions and his voting record in Massachusetts and it was obvious that he wasn’t conservative enough; very difficult to be a conservative in the most liberal state in the union. So to be in line with my principles and my conscience, I voted in my delegation the following: “I respectfully abstain”. I didn’t come to the RNC to vote for any other candidate than the one I committed to with the voting public. It seems that many have forgotten that this is a convention, not a coronation! If we continue with this mentality again, then we, as a party, become no different than the democrats. We must stand up for our principles, our conscious, and for grassroots. Now with the roll call officially done, I fully support the official Republican nominee Gov. Mitt Romney and Congressman Paul Ryan as our candidates to beat the worst President in US History!

    

Platform Rules

This issue was really troubling for me at the RNC. Now let me first start by saying that at our delegation breakfast, Sec. Gessler (and one other person) was correct in saying that we must remove rhetoric around Rules 12 and 15/16 and evaluate the facts. As an engineer, I fully agree! It did get heated when discussing those issues; where some people were for the new rules, some were against it, and some were right to abstain until more facts were given. Yet I believe the RNC, not our state CO party, failed terribly at this issue and undermined the grassroots, tea party, social conservatives, and ordinary Republican activists and voters.

 

Let me explain

 

Proposed Rule 12 – “The Republican National Committee may, by three-fourths (3/4) vote of its entire membership, amend Rule Nos. 1-11 and 13-25. Any such amendment shall be considered by the Republican National Committee only if it was passed by a majority vote of the Standing Committee on Rules after having been submitted in writing at least ten days (10) in advance of its consideration by the Republican National Convention and shall take effect thirty (30) days after adoption. No such amendment shall be adopted after September 30, 2014.”

 

Anil’s Position and Reasoning on Rule 12

As an executive, I understand that sometimes minor issues come up that require a quick response to bring solutions to the table and resolve problems immediately. Yet, we are a rules based party and without fair rules, this “game” would be difficult to participate in as it would be controlled by the elite. First of all, I asked “How will the RNC administer voting (on rule changes) from its “entire membership” other than at the Convention? What is meant my “entire membership”? Does it include All Republican Party members, just the RNC staff in Washington DC, only Committee on Rules Members, etc? Who is “entire membership”? Also if changes need to be made, why in the world is there a need for delegates and a convention??” After delegates approve rules or changes at the Convention, their approval can be reversed at any time and/or new rules added in between conventions. So this entire rule, in its current form, did NOT add value to the Republican Party but sought to undermine voters by putting more power into the hands of the elite/establishment and less power in the hands of the grassroots voter. I voted “NAY”.

 

Proposed Rule 15 (which became Rule 16 separating out segments in overnight negotiations): Rule 16.

 

I will only state the section where my major concern was: Rule 16(a) (2) “For any manner of binding or allocating delegates permitted by these rules, no delegate or alternate delegate who is bound or allocated to a particular presidential candidate maybe certified under Rule No. 20 if the presidential candidate to whom the delegate or alternate delegate is bound or allocated has, in consultation with the state party, disavowed the delegate or alternate delegate”

 

Anil’s Position and Reasoning on Rule 15/16a2

Although not an initial Gov. Romney supporter, I understand why his campaign sought to bring this issue up. There were those in various states that when they ran, they stated they would vote for Romney then after their victory they changed to either to Congressman Paul or another candidate; which to me was a false statement on the part of the delegate. I understand the need to keep delegates locked in to their word; one would think that this is common sense. Yet this rule would shift power out of the state party’s hand and more into the candidate’s hand which is troubling. I believe the issue should be resolved at the state level, not at the national RNC level or at the Presidential candidate level!!

Additionally, while I understand the need for the rule by some, my concern is driven by the following: the rule as proposed does not take into consideration that if a delegate has publicly declared allegiance to a candidate, this new rule would not allow a switch if the candidate changes their position on key issues after the delegate election. It would lock in a delegate to a candidate where the delegate is now opposed based on changes to principles and in contradiction to the delegate’s conscience. Without wording to protect the delegate in the latter, I voted “NAY”.

    

Minority Report

 

Now there was supposed to be a Minority Report on the floor but it didn’t come up. I was going to vote “YAY” for the Minority Report; which if passed, would have killed the new Rules mentioned above. But those ardently against the new rules and for the Minority Report were not on the floor (many say due to games against the VA delegation) and so the rule was mentioned to be voted on by voice call. Speaker Boehner and Chairman Priebus errored big time because the voice vote was too close and an official roll call should have been taken. Additionally, only delegates can vote and people in the stands also voted by voice, and that was a major blunder. I did see Speaker Boehner read from the teleprompter and it was very troubling indeed!! This passage of Rule 16 was a sham and will haunt the RNC. They should have done the right thing: vote by a roll call, but it rammed this through. Better yet, the rules should have been left as is. I commend Dudley Brown and Florence Sebern (CO Rules Committee Members) for their steadfast opposition to these new rules.

Thank you, Anil, for serving the GOP as my state’s delegate, and for approaching the process with such solid principle, fairness, and objectivity.  And thank you for sharing your experience here.  I’m proud that you were a Colorado delegate.  ~  mm

If other RNC delegates from any state has an insider story and would like me to consider sharing it through this blog, contact me directly here.

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Michelle Morin is a conservative blogger and speaker for freedom and America’s founding principles. Join her for updates here.