Thank you for your participation and interest in the Mises Community. This software platform has seen its day, however, and so is now closed. We are redoing our entire site, so look for some exciting developments by the end of the year. Thank you for your support of Austrian economics, liberty, and peace.

MA forces delegates to sign affidavit to vote for Romney

rated by 0 users
This post has 7 Replies | 1 Follower

Posts 1,612

Points 29,515

Aristophanes Posted: Tue, May 22 2012 8:46 PM

rated by 0 users

Dear Massachusetts Republican Delegates and Massachusetts Republican Alternate Delegates,

Under the rules of the Massachusetts Republican Party Plan, for the selection of delegates and the rules of the National Republican Party, the Avocation Committee charged with certifying Massachusetts delegates for the 2012 RNC in Tampa, Florida requires each elected delegate and alternate to sign, under the pains and penalties of perjury, the herewith enclosed affirmation, and to be returned on or before 3pm May 29, 2012 to the Massachusetts Republican Party at 85 Merimack Street, Suite 400, Boston MA 02114.

Electronic delivery, in any form, will not be accepted. Your failure to duly and timely remit the enclosed affidavit will put your status as a delegate in jeopardy.

Sincerely

Ed McGrath
Allocation Committee Chairman

- - - - - A f f a d a v i t: - - - - -

I ______ residing at _____ in ______ MA, was elected at the ______ Congressional District Caucus held in _____ MA on April 28, 2012 as a National Delegate / Alternate Delegate to the 2012 Republican National Convention. In accordance with Sections 70b and 70i, Chapter 53 of the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Republican Party Plan for the selection of delegates to the Tampa Florida 2012 National Convention and Rule 15 of the Rules of the Republican Party, I certify under the pain and penalty of perjury, that on the first ballot at the 2012 Republican National Convention, I will affirmatively Vote for Mitt Romney, the winner of the 2012 Massachusetts Presidential Primary.

The GOP doesn't want to be embarrased. I say we riot [figuratively of course ;) ]

I'm enraged over this. Literally.

I didn't agree with Lew ROckwell when he suggested that the Paul delegates stay home, but I either think that we do that or go balls to the wall and disrupt that bitchfest convention as much as possible. They won't respect us in the least, but I've already heard Paul supporters say that NAP should be followed...we remember two people for non violence in the last...how many centuries?

I remember John Brown, Alexander, Joan of Arc, etc.

Just as Malcolm X said 'We must retain the threat of violence lest we be laughed out of relevancy.'

Malcolm X, The Ballot or the Bullet; audio version here

"The Fed does not make predictions. It makes forecasts..." - Mustang19

| Post Points: 20

Posts 4,922

Points 79,590

Autolykos replied on Wed, May 23 2012 8:42 AM

rated by 0 users

What could happen if most of the delegates refuse to sign the affidavit? And if a delegate was selected for Romney, but actually supports Paul, what does he have to gain by signing it? (Answer: getting to rub shoulders with more important people in the Republican Party. But IMO that means he wasn't really a Paul supporter.)

The keyboard is mightier than the gun.

Non parit potestas ipsius auctoritatem.

Voluntaryism Forum

| Post Points: 20

Posts 853

Points 17,830

Graham Wright replied on Wed, May 23 2012 2:47 PM

rated by 0 users

I wish I had answers, but I only have questions...

Is this unprecedented? I mean, in some states isn't it just 'part of the deal' that if you become a delegate you agree to sign an affidavit to vote for whichever candidate the rules say you should vote for on the first ballot? If not, is there no distinction at all between delegates who are "legally bound" (as in Massachusetts), delegates who are "morally but not legally bound" (as in Ohio), and delegates who are "unbound" (as in Pennsylvania)? Should we consider any delegates, from any state, who have NOT signed an affidavit, to be unbound, even when the state party rules appear to bind them? Is it "bound until unbound" or "unbound until bound"?

Autolykos:
What could happen if most of the delegates refuse to sign the affidavit?

The pain and penalty of perjury for each of them, apparently. Even if that's an empty (and/or illegal) threat, couldn't the Massachusetts establishment Republicans - together with the national leadership - simply strip these Paul supporters of their delegate status, and replace them with loyal Romneyites who will sign the affidavit? I'm sure that's what some of them would like to do, but what could happen if they did try that?

Government Explained 2: The Special Piece of Paper

Law without Government

| Post Points: 20

Posts 4,922

Points 79,590

Autolykos replied on Wed, May 23 2012 2:48 PM

rated by 0 users

How can they be charged with perjury if they don't sign the affidavit?

The keyboard is mightier than the gun.

Non parit potestas ipsius auctoritatem.

Voluntaryism Forum

| Post Points: 20

Posts 853

Points 17,830

Graham Wright replied on Wed, May 23 2012 2:59 PM

rated by 0 users

Well maybe not perjury, but can they be charged with anything if they don't sign the affidavit and then vote for Paul on the first ballot?

Government Explained 2: The Special Piece of Paper

Law without Government

| Post Points: 20

Posts 4,922

Points 79,590

Autolykos replied on Wed, May 23 2012 3:08 PM

rated by 0 users

I don't see how. The point of the affidavit is for them to be held liable for perjury if they sign it but don't vote for Romney at the convention. If they don't sign the affidavit, presumably they'll be removed from the list of delegates.

The keyboard is mightier than the gun.

Non parit potestas ipsius auctoritatem.

Voluntaryism Forum