By Matthew Stone, BDN Staff
BANGOR DAILY NEWS
Republican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas speaks at the University of California at Berkeley, Calif., on April 5.
The national Republican panel considering a challenge to the rights of 21 Maine delegates to be seated at the GOP convention in Florida later this month wants more information and a full hearing on the matter before deciding how Maine will be represented at the four-day confab.
The request from the Republican contest committee, issued Friday, marks the latest development in the back-and-forth over whether Maine’s delegates to the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., will be seated at the gathering.
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Maine’s delegates to the convention support Texas Rep. Ron Paul’s presidential bid. Paul needs the support of at least five state delegations to be formally nominated for president and given a 15-minute, prime-time speaking slot. Meanwhile, political parties generally use their conventions to showcase their presumptive nominees — in this case, Mitt Romney.
Maine Republicans Peter Cianchette and Jan Martens Staples late last month filed a challenge with the Republican National Committee that alleged voting irregularities and procedural violations at this spring’s Maine Republican convention led to illegal votes for a slate of delegates who favor Paul over Romney.
The Republicans’ Committee on Contests reviewed filings from both sides in Washington, D.C., last week and decided to request more information and schedule the hearing, which will take place in Tampa the week before the convention.
Maine GOP Chairman Charlie Webster had tried to resolve the standoff recently by offering a deal to the delegates that would have obligated them to support Romney if Paul weren’t nominated for president and would have removed the delegation chairman — a Paul supporter — as spokesman. The delegates turned down that offer.
On Friday, radio host Ray Richardson said Gov. Paul LePage told him he wouldn’t attend the Republican convention if Maine’s delegation wasn’t seated. LePage’s political consultant Brent Littlefield didn’t confirm LePage’s pledge but said the governor wants to see the state’s delegation seated.
Related articles
- Ron Paul Supporter And Delegate Needs Your Help! (jeenyuscorner.com)
- Maine Gov. LePage Threatens RNC Boycott if Ron Paul Delegates Are Not Seated (libertycrier.com)
- Ron Paul campaign to challenge all Louisiana delegates (jeenyuscorner.com)
- Maine Governor LePage Threatens RNC Boycott (conservativeread.com)
- Sign the Petition to get Ron Paul’s Maine Delegates seated at the GOP Convention (dailypaul.com)
