Ron Paul Supporters Sue Nevada GOP

July 22, 2008 3:18 p.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Some supporters of former Republican presidential hopeful Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) have sued Nevada's GOP for canceling its state convention and planing to appoint national delegates via conference call.

The Nevada Republican party announced last week that it was calling off its state convention re-scheduled for July 26 because it did not expect to reach a quorum.

"We hoped there would be enough credentialed delegates to complete business, but we have not received enough RSVP's for a quorum," Party Chairperson Sue Lowden said in a news release. "We have had dozens of requests for mail in ballots and numerous delegates have requested that the Executive Board make the decision to appoint delegates. The State Party has called a special Executive Board meeting for Friday, July 25th to resolve this issue."

The state GOP held a convention on April 26 but called for a recess before delegates were selected because supporters of Paul took control of proceedings. An alternative state convention was held Paul supporters on July 28 that elected 31 delegates. The state GOP, which plans to hold a conference call on Friday to appoint delegates, has refused to recognized those elected delegates.

"They are illegally appointing delegates behind closed doors in private phone calls," Wayne Terhune, leader of the group that filed the lawsuit, told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "State law says you have to have a convention."

The lawsuit was filed in Washoe District Court. Apart from accusing the state GOP if violating state law, it asks the court to recognize the 31 delegates elected during the convention held by Paul supporters last month.

Paul, a U.S. Air Force flight surgeon during the Vietnam war, ended his campaign for the Republican nomination in June after failing to win any contests this primary season.