Liveblogging from the Nevada Democratic Convention
Went dark for the last several hours of the convention, I’m sorry for that. Here is a summary of what occurred after the last post:
After the remaining Clark County business was completed we were split into rooms by our congressional districts where we were to vote for the district level delegates. There are two types of delegates we’re meant to vote on at State level, at large and district. Our chair advised us we would go by the amounts stated at the February caucus effectively saying the county and state convention numbers didn’t matter. We were given two or three different bits of information on how many delegates were meant to be chosen from either side depending on which official was asked and they were attempting to expedite the vote so as to avoid any questions. Bernie lawyer steps up to clarify, NVDems read the rules that we should go by Feb numbers while the campaign reads the rules differently. A lawsuit is in progress now. Bernie delegates line up to speak, I am included among them but the chair calls the last Bernie supporter while there are still about 8 of us waiting to speak. We are told we filed for intent incorrectly though we have done everything we were advised to do. We fight and are finally given 20 seconds to speak, and only some names are included on the election paperwork to remind people of who they’re writing in for. My name is not included though I clarified with a convention official that it would be- I am told there is nothing I can do about my name not being included. Once the voting in the separate room is completed we go back to the main room.
Bernie and Hillary supporters are leaving at this time as everyone is either tired or being given information that they’re able to leave even though we haven’t voted to confirm the number of delegates, confirm the platform, or any of the other business we were there to conduct today. Nothing was finalized and voted on at this time and we’re told this is the final step before going home. Two “nay” votes for the platform just ask Roberta Lang to clarify the verbiage of the superdelegate rule as it is very unclear and she refuses, arguing for a while with these people. We move to make an amendment to the platform to abolish the Superdelegates but it is declined by the chair. She declines to listen. They attempt to expedite the passing of the platform and we decline because now Bernie supporters are the majority as the Hillary supporters decided they had won the numbers and so are free to leave. We must now go through the platform section by section and the chair attempts to speed through this to get everything passed. We decline the election section as it stands with the superdelegate rule and pass everything else- we are informed we are not allowed to amend this at the convention but it will be stricken entirely from the platform and we are not allowed to move further on this. We attempt to move to change the superdelegate system and are ignored completely though we’re making a lot of noise. Silence for a while and confusion as to what is going on.
People running for different party seats are talking themselves up during a wait time while there are rumors that Roberta Lang is being reviewed for her behaviour and that there may potentially be more motions soon. We are told to sit while there is a headcount, we determine we have the majority and move for a recount. This is ignored by the chair. We are told that we must leave soon and there are rooming issues because we’re there far past the original 6-8pm closing estimate. It is nearly 11:30 by this point. One of the speakers on speakers running for office on stage calls for a recount and the motion is seconded. Silence for a few moments. Within the span of less than 5 minutes Roberta Lang takes the stage again and speeds through the explanation of a recount request of the original numbers while convention rules state that the recount should occur based on the delegates currently present. Roberta calls for a voice vote, this is declined. She speeds through a few things that are unintelligible as the crowd boos that she is not being fair with this process. Roberta decides to call the meeting as adjourned and slams the gavel which signals the end of the meeting. People storm the stage as we have not finished any of the previously mentioned party business votes yet, we have ONLY voted for the district delegates and the eboard members at this point. We have not cleared the platform, the at large delegates, the district level delegates weren’t announced and cleared, and there were a few other matters that needed to be resolved. Per the NVDem convention rules the meeting is not to be adjourned until 80% of the delegates say it is okay or all party business is completed aside from a case of an actual emergency. Roberta storms off stage and the other people on the dais are left wondering what has happened at this point because it was very sudden and not at all allowed. Everyone is shouting and police are filling the hall. Paris security comes on the mic to tell us we need to leave or we will be forced to leave by the police and charged with a misdemeanor. Threats of arrests are made and police form a barrier between the stage and the floor. Both calls to riot and calls to order are attempted to supporters to stage a sit-in or a protest. Massive amounts of confusion. The head of security for the Paris is visibly frustrated with the situation that has just been created in a hall where tensions were already running extremely high and assures us that they will attempt to resolve this issue with the law but that we must leave for tonight. We are forced to leave lest we have any arrests.
We are trending on Twitter and all through other social media platforms right now. We have not completed Nevada party business and our voices have been silenced.
Exit to the parking lot with calls to protest the NVDems building tomorrow at 10am. Confusion as to what else needs to be done and what happens now as nothing has been voted on and we haven’t chosen at large delegates. Due to lack of adequate parking (Which caused supporters to be late early on and miss deadlines as the Paris, Bally’s, Planet Hollywood, and other casino parking lots were completely full due to this event being held on a Saturday on the Las Vegas Strip) we were forced to wait in line in the parking garage until almost 12:30am. I arrive home at 1:24am. This is the current state of the Nevada Democratic Party. Please share this message, it’s important to get this information out.
