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Defeated Utah County candidate may sue GOP

Anonymous | 12:30 a.m. May 7, 2008

Sounds like the lights are on, but nobody is home. She lost 4 years ago. She lost again. She can't decide whether she is filing or withdrawing complaints. Now she wants to have the courts override the delegates. Enough already. If you want a soap opera, move to LA.

Don't Al Gore yourself Jackie | 1:33 a.m. May 7, 2008

Seriously, what is wrong with this woman? First, she persecutes some young girl just because the girl is connected to someone who might support her opponent. That made me sick. What kind of a person tries to discourage a 17-year-old girl from participating in the political process? A rather ghastly one, I would say.

When she was done disenfranchising the youth vote, deGaston turns her attention to disenfrachising every delegate at the county convention. Throw out their votes; I don't like the results. Be a gracious loser, Jackie; otherwise, you're just a loser!

Here's an idea | 1:37 a.m. May 7, 2008

If you want your election judge in the room so badly, then pick someone responsible enough to go into the room! The fact that the county chair had to go find deGaston's election judge is telling. And then she wants to sue her own party, toss out the votes of her fellow citizens, just because she chose someone irresponsible.

It sonds like the only person with less capability than deGaston's election judge is deGaston herself.

Thank goodness this lady lost!

Comments continue below

The liberal way | 5:03 a.m. May 7, 2008

Are Republicans now playing the same games Democrats have created? If you don't like the outcome, throw as many allegations as you can toward the wall and see if anything sticks? Keep filing suits claiming some unfair practice after another until you get what you want. If the judge happens to rule against you, go after the judge. Surely he was confirmed by the senator you hope to replace, so he must be biased.

okrep | 7:00 a.m. May 7, 2008

sounds like sour grapes to me!

mbt6 | 7:45 a.m. May 7, 2008

Really, if she forced a revote, I'd predict she'd get even less votes....I suspect she'd end up with one for sure.

Concerned | 7:57 a.m. May 7, 2008

I think the method is bad. Why don't the voters get their say? If I want a choice in Utah County I will haved to vote for another party!

Utah COunty Politics | 8:00 a.m. May 7, 2008

She may be a sour grapes loser, but from an outside observer, the Lockharts look bad not just because of this, so do the Brambles and others . How are you disenfranchishing the 17 year old whose parents set her up to it?

Interested Observer | 8:35 a.m. May 7, 2008

I find it interesting, and disturbing, that there are so many familial connections in the Utah County GOP. Aren't there enough qualified GOP people there that the party doesn't have to involve spouses of legislators or a 17 year old girl? This situation has all the appearances of a good ol' boy network bent on retaining and solidifying their political power. I think a law suit is warranted if only to investigate the situation.

To Concerned | 8:44 a.m. May 7, 2008

The voters do have a choice. You had the opportunity to participate in caucuses and potentially choose/be a delegate.

As for the issue with the Bramble/Lockhart/Utah Republican party... there is some serious cronie on cronie action in the Utah republican party. It drives me nuts to see how the party leadership is interconnected. That beuing said I don't this deGaston is going about this the right way.

Rule of Law vs. Rule of GOP | 8:53 a.m. May 7, 2008

Likely she would get fewer votes if there was a re-vote. However, this is about the rule of law. Why is it that we feel the law is irrelevant? Ms. deGaston is right in pointing out that the GOP is lax in their effort to follow the law. I'd imagine that she doesn't have any grand illusion of actually forcing a primary against this system that she has discovered first-hand to be replete with error. I applaud her effort to point out the mistakes made. Good for her. Why is it that we demonize someone who wants to do good--who wants to do things the right way?

BBKing | 9:00 a.m. May 7, 2008

Two issues here. One is the character of the person involved, DeGaston. Second is the conduct of the balloting.

The first issue aside, if what it is claimed actually took place, I think Joseph Stalin could have won in that election. Unsecured ballot boxes is the calling card for the age old practice of stuffing. And with no certified count as to how many delegates were present and voting, that makes stuffing a ballot box incredibly easy.

Rigging elections has been going on since Rome. And having laws that prescribe penalities have also been around since Rome.

She may have a valid case, potentially lost in how she has handled it.

And once again we have the 'ends justify the means' police on this board. Similar to when this same crowd of people (Bramharts); limited free speech in House Seat 66; sent out a fund raising flyer with lobbyist dollars for 5 incumbents; refused to give email addresses to challengers, etc.

You would think these pious Republicans would honor the process not the players? I would think. Just like they proclaim their love of G-- and Constitution is greater than ours but will forget that when convenient. hmmm

WatchDog | 9:24 a.m. May 7, 2008

Having been to several of these circus's, er, conventions, EVERY claim she is making is absolutely true.

I think that it is absolutely comical that Monahan is claiming that she has never seen such things happen. It was, after all, Monahan who was asked to withdraw from her last convention campaign for using the party stamp on her campaign mailings, making them appear to come from - and be financed by - the party. Her and of course, none other than Susan Bramble.

It certainly apppears to be a party of the insiders, not of the general public!

Cyril H. Noble | 10:40 a.m. May 7, 2008

There is to much unsupervised, unfair elections as stated by this reported complaint by Jackie.

Laughing all the way | 11:07 a.m. May 7, 2008

I've got to laugh at the people who "think" that nepotism is only something that happens in Utah, the GOP...this happens nationwide in all parties.

I wish people in Utah were a little more educated on what happens throughout the nation. It would open your eyes a little and maybe get you off your backside and get involved.

Corruption runs amuke | 11:24 a.m. May 7, 2008

I've always been a firm believer that in Utah, this style of Republican politics has and continues to be so prevelent because it's the best way to ensure the security and continued political support for the majority religion. As a result, family involvement seems to be common, and so are the political schinanigans to retain political strength in "approved" hands. Someone who has not met the approval of the ward is still an outsider, even if they're from both Utah and the Republican party.

June | 11:45 a.m. May 7, 2008

Go, Jackie. It walks like a corrupt election, it looks like a corrupt election, and it quacks like a corrupt election. The Utah County GOP needs to clean its house.

One who saw | 11:48 a.m. May 7, 2008

I saw the Marian Rules that have led the Utah Couty GOP for years, and the Locakhart/Bramble debacles. All of it smells bad. But sourgrapes never fix anything. Vote our the Ytah County GOP Queen and take away the elitists powerbase and tha party will belong to the people again.

Stepford Elections | 12:36 p.m. May 7, 2008

Utah County Caucus and Convention elections are as eerie as a Stepford Wife movie.

Just makes me wonder... | 1:59 p.m. May 7, 2008

Funny how the first couple of comments say everything to get the reader away from the facts and to discredit the one complaining about the cheating that continues to go on in the Utah GOP. Makes you wonder if these corrupt GOP leaders know ahead of time when these stories are going to hit the news so they can be the first to comment.

Instereo | 2:11 p.m. May 7, 2008

As an outsider to Utah County, I think it's interesting to consider if the good old boys there would fix anything, particually when it appears there are a lot of good old boys expressing their opinions with their comments on this news article, supporting the positions and practices done at the Utah County GOP convention. It appears to me that not much is done in the light there. It also appears to me that maybe "Secret Combinations" are at work but of course people in Utah County aren't worried because the GOP is the sanctioned party there. I'd say "Go Jackie, expose what's going on."

As for discouraging a 17 year old in politics. Maybe it's time that 17 year old realize that it's not all roses and that not everyone agrees. I'm sure the 17 year old is not thinking for herself but is doing what she's doing to please her parents, who are very proud of her for doing what they want her to do. I haven't found to many 17 year olds anywhere but particually in Utah that can stand up for themselves and to express what they really believe.

another 17-year-old kid | 3:11 p.m. May 7, 2008

Let's be honest. She'd probably lose again. But that's not the point.

If we're goign to base the foundation of our government on fair elections, we've got to make the elections fair no matter how wide the margin of victory might be. Is she being a sore loser? Probably. But that doesn't mean that the elections were run the way they should be.

Reality Check | 4:56 p.m. May 7, 2008

Let's see Jackie was present in the room when the votes were being cast. She had every opportunity to look in the box prior to the vote. She had every opportunity to check the credentials of each delegate as they were casting their ballot. She had the chance to have poll watchers keep an eye on the ballot box all the way to the counting room and while the ballots were being tallied. Also, if she had done any kind of campaigning at all she should have known every single delegate in the room. I'm quite sure that no one would have prevented her from doing any one of these things.

Having been a ballot counter at conventions and having seen the instructions given to the handlers of the ballot box, I can assure everyone that the integrity of the vote the top priority of those assigned to handle and count the ballots.

This attempt is nothing more than a very angry person trying to overturn the clearly spoken will of the voters by throwing as much mud as she can.

Salt Lake County GOP | 5:17 p.m. May 7, 2008

I'm so happy that some other county's GOP is getting all the negative spotlight. The Salt Lake County convention went off without a hitch. The voting was not contested, and no screaming Ridgway, Lord. et al. Funny how getting rid of one person can make all the difference in civility

Now it makes sense | 8:23 a.m. May 8, 2008

I don't think I saw Mike Ridgeway, but I did spot Nancy Lord at the Utah County convention. Now it all makes sense.

Algonquin | 10:51 a.m. May 14, 2008

I wonder if Jackie is going to go all green on us now and spout doctrine about global warming... she does seem to be patterning her self after Al Gore in so many other ways.

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