Party Central Committee Member Reacts To St. Charles Caucus Chaos

Brian Kelly

March 18, 2012 1:38 PM

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ST. CHARLES, Mo (KMOX)-A member of the St. Charles County Republican Central Committee says he’s not surprised Saturday’s caucus turned into chaos, with two arrests and no delegates being elected.

Jon Bennett tells KMOX that while they’ll deny it, supporters of Ron Paul and Mitt Romney were planning to take over the caucus, and divide all the delegates between their two candidates.

Bennett says the rules they objected to, including electing a caucus chair without opposition, were designed to prevent that from happening, “A lot of the rules that were put in place were put in place in order to maintain a fair caucus, and some people didn’t want a fair caucus.”

After the election, many in the crowd shouted their objection, prompting party officials to call in additional police officers for crowd control. They then adjourned the caucus.

Bennett calls it “pure politics” and “an unfortunate nature of the beast. As for those upset with the committee, ”They’re crying foul now saying they were shut out the process, but the fact of the matter is they were beaten at their own game. They got shut out of being able to shut everyone else out of the process.”

So with no delegates selected, County Central Committee Chair Eugene Dokes is discussing where to go from here, with state GOP officials.

Bennett says after seeing what happened Saturday, he’s fine if they don’t send any delegates to the congressional district caucuses in April.

http://www.nature-help.com/news/party-central-committee-member-reacts-to-st-charles-caucus-chaos-kmox-com/ Party Central Committee Member Reacts To St. Charles Caucus Chaos – KMOX.com | Amazing News

[...] KMOX.com [...]
KJ

The rules PROVIDE for the MAJORITY to ‘take over the caucus’, it is called electing the chair by majority vote. That is what they didn’t want, since by majority vote in 2008 Ron Paul got a full slate of delegates from there and it has the largest number of delegates of any of the caucuses at this level.

Ignoring the rules and pretending your guy who is voted OUT as chair is still chair and having the person actually called for by voice vote to be chair arrested is not the way to resolve this in a representative affair.

There is plenty of video, the rule against it never having been voted for (and would have been voted down, unlike the party the majority WANTED transparency.)

Joe Wetter

“Jon Bennett tells KMOX that while they’ll deny it, supporters of Ron Paul and Mitt Romney were planning to take over the caucus, and divide all the delegates between their two candidates.”

I was one of the Ron Paul Coordinators who cut a deal with the Romney camp. I will not deny it. I am very proud to say that due to having a great, dedicated team, the Ron Paul campaign in Saint Charles County was the only organized camp who walked into that caucus with a full slate of delegates typed and ready to be voted on. The Romney, Santorum, and Gingrich camps came to that meeting looking to cut a deal. The Santorum camp approached the Romney camp, but the Romney camp refused to deal with them. Our number one task is to acquire delegates and we figured that we had enough people to get our chairman elected by plurality, but not a majority to get our rules passed.

So, because of our hard work getting a complete slate of 147 delegates and 147 alternates together, we were in the position to negotiate. Our deal was that if the Romney supporters voted for our chairman, we would vote for their secretary, and they would vote on our rules. If they did vote this way, we would take all of their confirmed delegates up to half of the 147 and put them on our slate after removing the bottom delegates from our slate equal to their number. They liked the idea. They liked our rules. The only objections were the ban on cameras and the erroneous delegate allocation being determined by the straw poll at the door that was suggested by the Central Committee. We assured them that as soon as we won the chair, the first order of business would be to put the camera ban up to a vote. Again, our goal is to get delegates, and if we have to make an alliance to get them, so be it. All is great, but half is better than none.

There was nothing against the GOP rules or Robert’s Rules of Order with what we were planning, or the agreement made between the two camps. The Fascist Central Committee blatantly broke Robert’s Rules of Order to shoe in their chairman and their rules.

“Bennett says the rules they objected to, including electing a caucus chair without opposition, were designed to prevent that from happening, “A lot of the rules that were put in place were put in place in order to maintain a fair caucus, and some people didn’t want a fair caucus.””

The thing is, is that there was opposition to electing their chair, and the tapes all over the internet prove it. Eugene Dokes would not recognize our motions, call for division, and even when the entire gym, except for some Santorum people, chanted POINT OF ORDER and BRENT STAFFORD in unison. The Central Committee DOES NOT make the rules, the people in the caucus do. Not to mention, prior to them ”electing” their caucus chair, the temporary chair appointed a parliamentarian, the credentials committee, and the rules committee, which are all the appointments to be made by the PERMANENT chair.

But my experience attending two Central Committee meetings, Dokes does not know Robert’s Rules of Order.

This caucus foul up is on the Saint Charles County Republican Central Committee, not us.

Joe Wetter
Saint Charles County Coordinator
Ron Paul 2012

Joe Wetter

Also, it is important to note that my fellow Saint Charles County coordinator for the Ron Paul campaign attended the Saint Charles County Republican Central Committee meeting on March 8th, and Bryan Spencer, who is the committee member who organized this caucus told him that if the Ron Paul people came in and ‘hijacked’ the caucus, he would do everything in his power to throw out the entire delegation.

This whole thing was planned way in advance.

Joe Wetter
Saint Charles County Coordinator
Ron Paul 2012
RG

This Brian Kelly character is a moron. Typos abound in this pathetic excuse for a hastily constructed and obviously NOT proof read “article”.

DC Larson

This underhandedness on the part of low-level dem/rep party hacks is but one reason why third parties are growing in 2012.
DC Larson

A question for Brian Kelly: Why was only a central committee member quoted in this piece?
KJ

Of course he’d be happy if no delegates went. In SANTORUM majority areas they took the full slate, and Paul would have had the vast majority here, with Romney getting some, because to prevent being shut out, they banded together (as Romney folks and Santorum folks did in other areas.)

So they ramrod through slates where they have the majority and award no delegates where Paul has the majority? That is representation?

Meh

I believe St. Charles was one of the bigger caucuses in the entire state, too.

‘Magine that.

Eric

“Take over the caucus”…you mean like…winning and having the most supporters present? This Mr. Bennett is pathetic and mindless a drone as Eugene Dokes and Bryan Spencer.
I guess the rules of order and rule of law only apply when it serves the interests of the Central Committee. Dokes, Spencer, and Bennett all need to resign in shame.
Jackie

“Although they won’t admit it” — he words it so negatively, but wasn’t his strategy the same. To take over the caucus and send the majority of Santorum delegates to the State Convention?? How is he any different? Seriously, does he really thing the American people are that stupid??

Sam

By “taking over”, do they mean “having the most people?” Since when was “having the most people present” contradictory to democracy? That’s democracy by definition! What we are witnessing is fascism.

Michael M

Uhh, isn’t turning out a majority of voters called “winning”?

Bennett’s spin is sad. Video clearly shows the ones who “didn’t want a fair caucus” and it wasn’t the majority of voters there.
RVW

This guy is part of the GOP establishment. LIES OUT HIS TEETH! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrRMiePxZBU
RVW

This is what they pulled in ’08. This guy was the “parliamentarian” yesterday. hahaha http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rplrNr8I8s
Scott

The only people responsible for chaos were Eugene Dokes, Bryan Spencer, and Matt Ehlen. There has been any issues with following majority vote at a caucus. That is how it is done. What you do not do… is have 1 guy stand up and tell 2500 people who he elects. That is what happened. Everyone saw it, if you don’t believe it, watch for yourself… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RovPPePrwg0

If that link does not work, then googe youtube video St. Charles Mo hijacked caucus

The people always have to get the correct word out, as it is commonly misrepresented. Watch & Learn
Marvin Stehr

The St. Charles Republican Central Committee purely and simply violated the Missouri Republican Party Rules by nominating and “electing” a caucus chairman while ignoring nomination for caucus cahair from the floor. They violated the rules by appointing parliamentarian, rules committee, and credentials committee prior to the election of caucus chairman. Jon Bennett’s comments represent the elitism of certain party officials that choose to ignore the rankand file republicans of St. Charles County. His comments also are evidence of why he, Eugene Dokes, Brian spencer, and Matt Ehlen should never be elected to any public office again! Afterall they ignore their constituency!
jefferson

All you have to do is read the guide from the GOP to see that this article and Jon Bennett both support VIOLATING THE RULES TO GET THEIR WAY.

From the MO GOP party guide for temporary chairmen:

3.2.1 Sample Script
Chair: At this time nominations are in order for Caucus Chairman.[The Chair places John Doe
into nomination.] Are there any [additional] nominations? (Additional nominations from the floor
may be submitted)
Floor: I nominate Jane Doe
Chair: Jane Doe is nominated. Are there any additional nominations? (pause) If not, nominations
are now closed. We will vote with a counted rising vote, you may only stand to vote for one
candidate. All those in favor of electing John Doe as chairman, please stand and be counted.
Chair: All those in favor of electing Jane Doe as chairman, please stand and be counted.
Chair: With a vote of # to #, Jane Doe is elected as Caucus Chairman. (Jane assumes roles
as Chair and the meeting proceeds)
jefferson2

All you have to do is read the guide from the GOP to see that this article and Jon Bennett both support VIOLATING THE RULES TO GET THEIR WAY.

From the MO GOP party guide for temporary chairmen:

3.2.1 Sample Script
Chair: At this time nominations are in order for Caucus Chairman.[The Chair places John Doe
into nomination.] Are there any [additional] nominations? (Additional nominations from the floor
may be submitted)
Floor: I nominate Jane Doe
Chair: Jane Doe is nominated. Are there any additional nominations? (pause) If not, nominations
are now closed. We will vote with a counted rising vote, you may only stand to vote for one
candidate. All those in favor of electing John Doe as chairman, please stand and be counted.
Chair: All those in favor of electing Jane Doe as chairman, please stand and be counted.
Chair: With a vote of # to #, Jane Doe is elected as Caucus Chairman. (Jane assumes roles
as Chair and the meeting proceeds)
phy

This can be summed up pretty quickly.
1. the temporary chair can not appoint committee,or any other thing without vote.
2.Caucus rules are voted on …not decided before hand
3.Points of order and points of information were ignored
4.Division calls were ignored
5.The GOP has no jurisdiction to call in Police officers to arrest people on public property
6. The elected chair can not appoint a temporary chair without a vote
7. The rules set forth by the state GOP were ignored by ALL of the GOP elected and appointed (illegally) were ignored.

This problem was caused by the GOP in St Charles….but the news just says Ron Paul supporters were the problem…NO Ron Paul supporters KNOW the rules and were not going to sit back and let the GOP trample all over their voting rights
R Clayton

If the MOGOP really wants to fix these blunders made by their reps and show their faith in the people, they will get ahold of the green sheets that every attendee filled out stating their desired candidate and award delegates proportionally to that.

foontala

NO, that’s not how it works. The caucus decides how delegates are awarded, not the MOGOP.

Reconvene the caucus. that’s the only way to do it right.

KJ

The chair nominated and voted for as char but never recognized by the temporary chair, Brent Stafford, DID just that, and was arrested and taken to jail.
foontala

KJ, My reply was to R Clayton above who suggested some sort of proportional compromise.

The caucus must be reconvened, that is the only solution. Compromise is just the planned railroading all over again.

Joe Wetter

“Jon Bennett tells KMOX that while they’ll deny it, supporters of Ron Paul and Mitt Romney were planning to take over the caucus, and divide all the delegates between their two candidates.”
I was one of the Ron Paul Coordinators who cut a deal with the Romney camp. I will not deny it. I am very proud to say that due to having a great, dedicated team, the Ron Paul campaign in Saint Charles County was the only organized camp who walked into that caucus with a full slate of delegates typed and ready to be voted on. The Romney, Santorum, and Gingrich camps came to that meeting looking to cut a deal. The Santorum camp approached the Romney camp, but the Romney camp refused to deal with them. Our number one task is to acquire delegates and we figured that we had enough people to get our chairman elected by plurality, but not a majority to get our rules passed.
So, because of our hard work getting a complete slate of 147 delegates and 147 alternates together, we were in the position to negotiate. Our deal was that if the Romney supporters voted for our chairman, we would vote for their secretary, and they would vote on our rules. If they did vote this way, we would take all of their confirmed delegates up to half of the 147 and put them on our slate after removing the bottom delegates from our slate equal to their number. They liked the idea. They liked our rules. The only objections were the ban on cameras and the erroneous delegate allocation being determined by the straw poll at the door that was suggested by the Central Committee. We assured them that as soon as we won the chair, the first order of business would be to put the camera ban up to a vote. Again, our goal is to get delegates, and if we have to make an alliance to get them, so be it. All is great, but half is better than none.
There was nothing against the GOP rules or Robert’s Rules of Order with what we were planning, or the agreement made between the two camps. The Fascist Central Committee blatantly broke Robert’s Rules of Order to shoe in their chairman and their rules.
“Bennett says the rules they objected to, including electing a caucus chair without opposition, were designed to prevent that from happening, “A lot of the rules that were put in place were put in place in order to maintain a fair caucus, and some people didn’t want a fair caucus.””
The thing is, is that there was opposition to electing their chair, and the tapes all over the internet prove it. Eugene Dokes would not recognize our motions, call for division, and even when the entire gym, except for some Santorum people, chanted POINT OF ORDER and BRENT STAFFORD in unison. The Central Committee DOES NOT make the rules, the people in the caucus do. Not to mention, prior to them ”electing” their caucus chair, the temporary chair appointed a parliamentarian, the credentials committee, and the rules committee, which are all the appointments to be made by the PERMANENT chair.
But my experience attending two Central Committee meetings, Dokes does not know Robert’s Rules of Order.
This caucus foul up is on the Saint Charles County Republican Central Committee, not us.
Joe Wetter
Saint Charles County Coordinator
Ron Paul 2012
tracy walker

Jon Bennett is a complete moron! I was there yesterday as well and Dokes broke the rules and HE initiated the hostility. The caucus was NEVER brought to order. I get what he was trying and eventually accomplished. It was planned out from the get go and it was so obvious to everyone that attended. You all just want us to be dismissed just like what is happening all over the country but we would a little bit larger crowd and would not stand for it. Karma is a funny thing….you do bad things to good people, it can come back and bite you in the a**! We are not sore losers you guys are clearly cheaters and that is what you have to resort to over and over again. Try honesty on for a change because your nose is growing in record fashion!
Dot O’Hara-Pinkham

Was Jon Bennett there? I was…and talking to a Central Committee member about yesterday’s events is like asking the fox his version of what happened in the hen house! There are at least 2,000 other voices that were present that will be happy to tell you the truth…even with unedited LIVE video. AHEM, Mr. Bennett…cite a variety of sources…just sayin’
Meh

Media is in bed with the political Establishment.

Shocker.

Get this out on Facebook, Twitter and the major talk radio shows.
Meh

With that said, how many caucuses/primaries has Ron Paul REALLY won?
Jon Bennett

In reality, while I’m a member of the central committee and was in attendance, I was not part of the organization of the caucus.

Sure, there were things I would have done differently, but I find it interesting that, after just getting off the phone with Brent Stafford, I’m told two different things from two different people.

Joe, you don’t deny that there was an attempt planned by the Ronmey/Paul groups to take over and divide the delegates among the two, yet Brent does.

One of you is lying.

Meanwhile, the hopeful outcome of the caucus was NOT to send all the delegates to Santorum or any other one candidate. I’m not even a Santorum guy. I support Gingrich.

However, your desire to make the OUTCOME of the caucus unfair was the driving force behind what was done. Every candidate could have come out of the caucus with a number of delegates in proportion to those in attendance, but instead ended up with nothing.

Again — I didn’t make the rules, I didn’t write any script. I just know what I was told were the reasons.

You can criticize me all you want, but you’re merely shooting the messenger.

foontala

How is an outcome unfair if it was voted upon by the caucus?

Oh right, those people that railroaded the caucus didn’t let anyone vote.

Now they “project” their own faults onto others to shift the blame.

It is clear who broke the rules. All your rumor talk about teaming up is just a bunch of nonsense designed to deflect and project.

Teaming up is how caucuses work.

Caucuses do not work by ignoring the rules and trying to disenfranchise voters.

The people behind that act are going to experience a very fast political death.
St. Charles

Right on, Jon,
Fred Henke
Nunya Biznezz

They were arrested for recording proof of corruption.

That’s that system you live in, America.
If we have police in a helicopter hauling off political opposition at a DELEGATE SELECTION, you need to be SERIOUSLY concerned.
Ditto7412

You’ll never get elected again in this county as long as I have breath! You guys tried to railroad the proceedings! THE GOP Central Committee all need to be charged with voter fraud! Don’t try to hide now behind Newt you coward. You’re complicent in what happened you little slimeball!
Daniel Aronhalt

LOL, Your side wasn’t going to get it’s way in and that wasn’t fair. At my caucus in Camden County there twice as many Santorums supporters at the Caucus and they forced a rule that all delegates have to vote for Santorum. Was that fair?

By you logic it wouldn’t be fair, but it in fact was fair. I didn’t like it but they played by the rules and won. The same rules you ignored. They had the majority of participants at the caucus. Wasn’t the plan to ignore Robert’s Rules worse than Romney and Paul supporters plan to obey Robert’s Rules? You should have gotten more Santorum supporters there. Your logic is weak and you are a clear hypocrite.

Now I’m sure you’re smiling your freedom hating head off at the Camden County caucus. But you don’t like it when the tables are turned against your candidate. I hope you’re not an elected official.

Please feel free to give me a reply on my e-mail. I hope your still reading this and give that a rebuttal.

Jon Bennett

And, Joe, I’ve heard about the plan for over a week.

foontala

Planning is what people do for caucuses. So, question:

What’s your problem with that?

Answer:

You don’t like the outcome, so would rather have people break the law.

That’s a sad position to be in. It is completely untenable and something you and the rest should and will be very ashamed of for years to come.
Samantha Cantor

This is how an elected official talks to the public…

Jon Bennett

There were no laws broken.

The goal was to have a fair outcome.

I’m sorry you didn’t share that goal.

Marvin Stehr

To Jon Bennett: I have a copy of the Missouri Republican Committee Call to Convention 2012 here in front of me. It clearly states the required agenda and the order of agenda for caucuses as well as the CD and State Conventions. Beside that, I called the Missouri Republican Party Saturday evening. The gentleman that i talked to on the telephone agreed with my interpretation of these rules. It is very clear that Eugene Dokes, Brian Spencer, and Mat Ehlen broke every one of the Missouri Republican Party rules! It dos NOt matter that you and rep. Kathie conway defend their actions. It is still wrong and only tells me that we need to elect other folks to their elected positions, since they neither understand the rules and laws nor care. This Mr. Bennett applie to you also!

Jon Bennett

Missouri Republican Party Call to Caucus is not law.

Marvin Stehr

The Missouri Republican Party rules were repeatedly broken by Dokes and spencer and Ehlen. The fair thing would have been to follow the state party rules and allow the caucus participnats vote for the caucus chairman and vote on the rules as per the state party rules! You and Kathie Conway are defending the breaking of the rules and the hijacking of the caucus by Dokes and Spencer. They and it seems all of the Central committee were Santorum supporters.
Bill DeLong

Mr. Bennett,

Do you deny that the two voice votes taken at the St. Charles GOP Caucus were carried fraudently? The first, to elect Matt Hines for chair, seemed defeated by voice vote, yet was declared carried by voice vote. Motions to divide were ignored. Similarly, the motion to adjourn, requiring a 2/3 majority when business remains on the agenda, seemed opposed by a vocal majority, yet was declared carried by voice vote. Calls to divide were again ignored.

Under what rules is that a fair process or outcome?
DrewMangus

You’re finished in STC County boy! You were all exposed as the snakes you are! You’re so egotistical and arrogant that you ran to KMOX the next day. What a maniac! And yes, he was there Dot. Up against the wall hiding behind Spencer.
David Mudkipz

In point of fact, there were laws broken. State party organizations choose delegates pursuant to rules established by the political parties. Mr. Dokes clearly violated those rules. I urge any St. Charles County delegate whose rights were violated by Mr. Dokes contact the state attorney general at attorney.general@ago.mo.gov or by phone at 314-340-7544.

Below is provided the relevant statute for the curious and the willfully ignorant Mr. Bennet.

MO Rev Stat § 115.776

Caucuses, delegates for national conventions.

115.776. The state party organization which is the state organization recognized by the national organization of that established political party shall, after the primary and before the national convention, conduct a series of caucuses culminating in congressional and state conventions. Delegates to the national conventions shall be chosen at the congressional district and state conventions pursuant to rules established by the political parties.

(L. 1998 S.B. 709, A.L. 1999 H.B. 676)

Grant

Behold! This is democracy in America. There is merely the appearance of fairness and inclusion which vanishes as soon as the people actually attempt to participate. You are all sheep. A powerless herd ruled and harvested by masters over which you have no control. Sleep well.