Chaos — corruption, in the eyes of some — just broke out at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
At issue was whether the Convention rules, as determined by the rules committee days ago, would in fact govern the Convention. These rules were the source of controversy because party members who opposed Donald Trump’s nomination sought to insert a clause that would allow delegates to vote according to their conscience. This so-called “conscience clause” failed, but anti-Trump forces aimed to challenge the rules in a vote of the entire body of delegates.
Enid Mickelsen, chairwoman of the rules committee, brought this vote to the RNC floor. It was conducted via voice vote, with both “no” and “aye” erupting from each side. (The “no” voters were the ones who opposed Trump.) Following this voice vote, the chairman of vote procedures, Rep. Steve Womack from Arkansas, declared that the ayes had it. Some felt that declaration dubious, with footage demonstrating the indeterminacy of who won the vote simply going by voice.
By this point, an uproar broke out among the delegates. Votes on subsequent issues could not be passed amidst the fervor. The “no” voters started chanting “roll call vote” as Sen. Mike Lee from Utah explained that 11 states had a majority of delegates who were calling for such a vote, in which each vote is actually counted and recorded. If more than seven states submit a petition for a roll call vote, then the vote must be had, per convention rules. This combined with the indeterminate winner of the earlier voice vote was ostensibly sufficient for “roll call” camp to obtain what they sought. But then, Womack abandoned the podium.
The confusion remained for about eight minutes until he walked back out. “Once again I need your help and cooperation,” Womack explained. He reminded the hall “that it is absolutely critical that we are able to discern the ayes from the nays.” Womack, once again displaying a profound auditory sense, declared that the ayes had it. He then explained that though there had been nine states petitioning for a roll call, three of these states, following the initial voice vote, had enough delegates withdraw their petition such that there was insufficient support for such a vote.
The convention then moved on, but the damage was done. Senator Lee issued a scathing statement:
I have never in all my life, certainly in six years in the United States Senate, prior to that as a lifelong Republican, never seen anything like this. There is no precedent for this in parliamentary procedure. There is no precedent for this in the rules of the Republican National Convention. We are now in uncharted territory. Somebody owes us an explanation. I have never seen the chair abandoned like that. They vacated the stage entirely.
Ken Cuccinelli, meanwhile, tossed his credentials on the floor in disgust:
