Doug Wead
Ron Paul rides again.
Remember the infamous St. Charles County Republican caucus on March 17, 2012? (See videos below.) Where the temporary chairman decided that there could be no recording devices? So his evil deeds could be done in darkness?
Where at a prearranged signal the temporary Chairman had local police descend on the caucus and arrest anyone that he personally deemed worthy of arrest? Even following one Ron Paul supporter outside into the parking lot? Stopping him from meeting with his own people, outside the convention?
“Arrest that man, arrest that man!”
Well, the infamous St. Charles Country Caucus will reconvene tonight at 7PM at the St. Charles Convention Center. We hope someone will send us a video report of a more cheerful and orderly and honest meeting, with democracy at work and everyone getting to vote, regardless of their choice.
This time, state GOP Republican leaders will be on hand to see for themselves. In fact, the whole world will be watching.
County Chairman, Eugene Dokes, who commandeered the last event and only allowed the nomination of his own handpicked man as permanent caucus chairman, will not be running things. At the last, botched caucus, Dokes ignored the wishes of the participating delegates pretending that they did not exist and refusing to recognize their motions or their own nominations, it led to howls of protest and absolute bedlam.
Instead, State GOP Chairman, David Cole, will run the caucus until participants choose their own permanent chairman. General Counsel Harvey Tettlebaum will act as parliamentarian and oversee any rules disputes.
My, my, how things change when they get a little exposure. Cole, by the way, has said that the use of audio and recording devices are perfectly welcome, which bodes well for democracy and increases the likelihood that the caucus will not cheat its own participants.
There are close to 140 local caucuses in Missouri. St. Charles County will be the last of them. It is the third largest in the state. Local delegates go to congressional district caucuses April 21 followed by a statewide convention in Springfield in June. The congressional and statewide events will choose most of the Missouri delegates to the Republican National Convention in Tampa.
If the selection process at the state convention is run fairly, Ron Paul will do very well, far better than the New York Times and AP are reporting.
There is no guarantee that Ron Paul supporters will return in force and win tonight. In fact, the Santorum or Romney campaigns, greatly outnumbers by Ronulans last time, may have regrouped and used the interim to organize and enlist help. They may win tonight’s caucus legally, without hired police or parliamentary bullying. But at least, it will be run fairly and won or lost fairly. It is more than the Ronulans will get in many other counties.
Tonight, the eyes of the whole world will be on St. Charles County, Missouri. Will the Ronulans return? Will Ron Paul win in St. Charles after all?
To help you appreciate tonight’s drama, here is a video review of last month’s debacle:
Rigged caucus in St. Charles ends in bedlam
The arrest of Brent Strafford. So much for the right of free assembly. Ron Paul coordinator, Brent Strafford, who is handicapped, is arrested at the direction of his GOP opponent. Go to the end of the video to see the arrest.
An undercover camera records the GOP establishment and their secret plan for St. Charles.
Doug Wead is a historian and NYT bestselling author. He has been an adviser to two Presidents and is currently a senior adviser for the Ron Paul presidential campaign. Follow Doug at @DougWead1234.
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