Posted on 03/18/2012 2:33:26 PM PDT by Da Bilge Troll
Police and organizers shut down proceedings at one of Missouri’s largest caucuses today, as Ron Paul supporters feuded with local GOP leaders.
“It’s like the Hatfields and the McCoys around here,” St. Charles County’s former GOP chairman told ABC News, after police arrived on-scene with a helicopter and removed Paul backers.
In St. Charles, an exurb of St. Louis and one of the state’s largest GOP counties, Paul supporters sought to elect their own chairman and adopt their own rules when proceedings opened — both of which are part of standard caucus rules and procedure. But as they argued with the caucus chair, Paul supporters held video cameras — against caucus rules, according to a GOP official who was there — and things became contentious.
“It turned into a little food fight within the caucus, between the caucus chairman trying to control the caucus and certain elements, I guess with Ron Paul, trying to be heard,” said Tom Kipers, a former chairman of the St. Charles GOP, who attended the caucus at Francis Howell North High School.
An off-duty police officer, hired as security, eventually filed a trespassing complaint against the Paul supporters and notified on-duty police in the area municipality of St. Peters, who, along with police from other jurisdictions, arrested two Paul supporters and ended the caucuses early. A joint-jurisdictional police helicopter arrived on the scene. Kipers said about 10 officers arrived in total.
“Two people were arrested for trespassing after receiving numerous warnings to leave the school property,” the St. Peters police said in a press release. “Both subjects were transported to St. Peters Justice Center where they were booked for Trespassing and released on a summons.”
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Those weren’t police those were the men in white coats! “They’re coming to take me away away. They’re coming to take me away! Ha ha ho ho!”
Also see also:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2860650/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2860498/posts
I was talking to some people who were at their local Mo. caucuses, 1 Romney supporter and 2 Paul supporters. Two different caucuses.
At both caucuses the local GOP machinery from the start refused to follow Roberts Rules of Order and the State GOP guidelines on the Caucuses, and the situation immediately fell into chaos due to the local good old boys trying to ram through their preferred candidate Romney.
At one caucus the Paul supporter I know is the son of a former R mayor of the town, and my buddy was picked as lead Paul speaker during the caucus. The situation collapsed immediately because my friend called points of order and clarifications and the GOP machinery guys at the podium refused to follow their own standing decorum rules. At which point nothing further happened.
This supposed happened at over 20 caucuses yesterday... to varying degrees.
The first item on the agenda was to ban all video-taping.
Welcome to the republican caucus, please put your hands behind your back.
Dallas county was a joke. Being my first caucus, rules were passed and debate ended in the same motion. rules were adopted WITHOUT DEBATE. And the chairman, sandy crawford’s husband, stated it was a violation of caucus rules to have the delegates state who they supported.
Since they were passed on a slate, not identified before the vote, and the nays outnumber the yeas in my opinion. Even so, the chairman refused a standing vote be taken.
I am not a Ron Paul supporter. He left the caucus with a lot of fanfare and yelling. While I was glad to see him go, his point was right on. I went there to vote or choose a delegate that supported santorum. I have a feeling that “we the people” did not vote for Romney, but that is how Dallas county delegates will vote.
I think the chairman, his wife, and the delegtes are COWARDS. These are the people that have helped the democrats ruin this nation.
I wonder who is going to support the Missouri republicans after this.
The same kind of crap happened here in minnesota last w-end at our local convention.
Paul supporters came and started challenging everything. It took 1 1/2 hours just to adopt the rules. I got so disgusted I walked out.
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