CLEVELAND — Republican delegates seeking to fight the adoption of the GOP rules erupted with anger when Republican Convention Deputy Chairman Steve Womack announced three state delegations withdrew from supporting the motion to have a roll call vote to support whether or not to adopt the 2016 convention rules.
At the root of the rules controversy, the adoption of the rules by voice vote blocked a potential unbinding of certain GOP delegates on the first ballot during the Republican nomination, allowing them to vote their conscience as opposed to voting for the winner of their state primary.
Boos, hisses and chants of “Roll Call Vote! Roll Call Vote!” filled the Quicken Loans Arena when Womack gaveled out the final decision.
Dane Waters, a representative of the anti-Trump group Delegates Unbound, told reporters prior the voice vote that a majority of delegates from 11 states signed petitions to have a roll call vote on a minority report from the rules committee.
These petitions, according to Waters, were submitted the convention secretary, but Waters says the RNC did all it could to put obstacles in his way.
“The RNC was not helpful in any shape form or fashion in helping to get these submitted,” he said.