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Discord shadows Reform Party's nominating convention
By Laurie Kellman, Associated Press, 08/08/00 LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Two days before its nominating convention, the Reform Party split loudly in two Tuesday as supporters of founder Ross Perot walked out of a closed meeting, leaving backers of Pat Buchanan inside and the party's future in question.
"We have won," declared Buchanan's sister and campaign manager, Bay, who saw the walkout as a defeat for opponents of the Buchanan camp. The collapse of the first face-to-face meeting between the factions left a list of unresolved issues in the leadup to the Reform Party convention, which begins Thursday. Questions included who will get the nomination and the $12.5 million public dollars that come with it. Perot's supporters have threatened to seek legal means to block Buchanan from receiving the money. The shouting and shoving that accompanied Tuesday's events showed the intensity of the dispute. "This is illegal!" shouted Perot supporter Jim Mangia, the party's national secretary, who objected to the meeting being closed in contrast to Reform Party tradition. Mangia and Perot aide Russell Verney, communicating over walkie-talkies, led a walkout of about half those inside the meeting, guiding them down the street to another hotel where they planned their own proceedings. Bay Buchanan dismissed the uproar as sour grapes from the old guard as its grip on the party weakens. The Buchanan campaign has amassed a formidable majority of delegates to this week's convention. "This is a last desperate effort on the part of the Perot (supporters) to somehow hang on to the power in this party," she said. "They have lost. It is over." National Chairman Gerry Moan had closed the meeting, with the Buchanans' blessing, to avoid distractions. But as Mangia conducted an initial meeting, a Buchanan supporter named Johnnie Jackson shouted profanities. And when private guards tried to keep Verney out of a later, closed meeting, Verney told them, "You're going to have to arrest me, I am going in." Shouting ensued, with Buchanan supporters drowning out the others by chanting "Go Pat Go!" Finally, Mangia and Verney led the walkout. Such was the tone as delegates began streaming into this oceanside town for the four-day convention. Perot, meanwhile, was staying away and silent. Convention organizer Judy Duffy invited him by letter, but got no response. Threats flew in all directions. If the national committee disqualifies Buchanan or if little-known challenger John Hagelin wins the party primary, Buchanan's delegates might nominate him anyway. If that happened, Perot's supporters could seek an injunction to prevent Buchanan from receiving $12.5 million in federal matching fees. Buchanan says he is saving the party, rather than tearing it apart. He has toured the country lining up convention delegates, ousting hostile state party leaders and installing new chapters. But his presence in the party and his outspokenness on social issues have offended some party members, particularly leaders loyal to Perot. Buchanan is the overwhelming front-runner in the party's mail-in primary, whose results are to be announced Friday. But Hagelin, backed by Perot's supporters, contends that Buchanan should be disqualified because some 200,000 of his votes were acquired in violation of party rules. |
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1 p.m.: National Committee meets to decide, among other things, whether Pat Buchanan is eligible for the party's presidential nomination - and $12.5 million in federal funds - or whether he broke party rules and should be disqualified.