AZ GOP 2012 STATE CONVENTION A SECOND EXCLUSIVE BY A State DELEGATE...A Legacy Not Worth Leaving...

Just imagine, an event billed as a “Rally” lasting over 12 hours! Delegates and alternates representing each Legislative District were to be present; however, invitations were extended to all Republicans to join festivities in an effort to energize support for the next Republican Presidential Candidate. Grand Canyon University was the perfect venue. Candidate signs lined the walkway and added to the chatter of the day.  I was pleased to see the chuck wagons and the snack bar were ready and open for business. Delegates and vendors were told the event would be over around five PM. So, I don’t blame them for closing down at 4:30, but the event planner should have seen that the meeting would not be finished by five and asked for extended hours of operation. Our last four hours at this “Rally” was without real access to large quantities of water. Yes, a water fountain was accessible, but a sip or two won’t satisfy your needs. That’s how I would describe the meeting: limited, not satisfied, and missing an event planner!

                     The meeting was to begin at 9:00 AM. It did not start until after 10 A.M. Most of the delegates arrived around 7:30 to get in line for credentials. As we enter the building, delegate were to be on the first floor, alternates and guest upstairs. Two problems: one County Chairman had alternate credentials as well as his entire delegation. The security would not allow them on the floor. They had to be escorted into the hall. Is it possible this one county had all alternates and delegates on the floor at the same time? The guests and other alternates kept saying the second floor was not accessible, and they stood around waiting. Where was the event planner?

                       The program got underway, and Chairman Tom Morrissey began the meeting after the University’s greetings. Ron Paul supporters booed Josh Romney, and Chairman Morrissey did nothing to stop them. Everyone could feel tension in the air. Adding to further morning frustrations were problems with “Credentials.” It was apparent that Steve Cohut (a Ron Paul supporter) did not know what he was doing. That delayed official business for several hours. The Chairman gave caucus room assignments and everyone went to their designated area. The problem was the final Credentials Report hadn’t been stated, let alone recorded, so Official Business (voting) would be illegal if conducted. Someone must have mentioned it to the Chairman, because they went flying into caucuses and yelling for delegates to return back to the main floor because the meeting wasn’t adjourned. Directions were stated that following the business on the floor, that we would be voting on Member as Large to the National Convention. You can’t do that till Congressional Delegates have been voted. There was a brief meeting on stage and he had to retract that statement. Who wasn’t watching the Chairman’s back? Normally, a first vice chair would be making sure over-sights were covered. Where was Russell Pearce? Obvious Executive Director Thayer Verschoor wasn't covering for the first vice-chair. Time wasted approximately 3 hours.

                      At 12:50, we returned back to caucus for our first official business of the day to elect one Congressional District Delegate per CD. Many problems: one CD stated the person was notified they were in charge of conducting the meeting that morning, and the secretary found out she was to take minutes of said meeting as she heard her name from the podium. It was stated in more than one Congressional District that those in charge they didn’t know Parliamentary Procedures. Others jumped in and ran the meeting. Another CD didn’t have enough ballots. One district didn't have ballots at all, a staff member has to leave to them printed. How does that happen?  One district asked for new ballots without asterisks denoting the delegate to be chosen. All the rest of the delegates were in ABC Order. Yet another CD had to meet outside supposedly in the amphitheatre, their delegates were confused and went to the gray tent, and they wasted 30 minutes trying to decide which area was right.  The scanners/printers were slow and some possibly not working. Then all the CD’s had to repeat the process to vote on an alternate CD Delegate. Someone watching described it as a scanning nightmare. We must use the County Recorder’s equipment! 

                      The food vendors left and the night slowed down even further. Were they concerned for those with special needs (diabetics, hypoglycemics, medicine users, and pet owners?) Those with child care issues had to leave in between ballot counts to pick up children. Back on the floor, we sat till all the caucuses returned. It was after 6:00 pm, and the Chairman Morrissey had trouble regrouping to conduct business. Ron Paul delegates were getting more agitated and aggressive. Romney delegates were fighting back. Morrissey was losing control. Long hours, rule changes, lack of details to procedures added to everyone’s frustrations. People called in the police to file assault charges. The meeting was getting more frustrating by the hour. Morrissey supporters stated they were embarrassed by his lack of knowledge. Some said, “I may never come back to another event.” It’s now 7:00 P.M. and we are voting on Members at Large.  I personally saw 13 ballots being put into a ballot box by one person; an AZGOP staffer was observing that polling station. Some people started to leave and just handed over their credentials to someone in the stands. Why not, they were not verifying number of ballots or who was placing those ballots into the box. There were accusations of voter fraud.

                       Mutiny was welling up! That energized Ron Paul delegates and they started realizing they could have a victory if they just hung on.

                       Around 9:00, the delegates had been there over 12 hours and headaches were becoming more apparent, lack of food and water, being uncomfortable sitting so long, and no decisions on elections results. One person stated she has been to over 35 conventions, and this was by far the worst. Another quote heard ”The most outrageous, inexcusable, uneventful day ever!”  Not a Legacy Worth Leaving! 

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