'Lack of transparency unwelcome' as RNC privately decides platform: report

02 July 2024

The Republican Party has recently argued, according to NPR, that "an unwieldy platform could be weaponized by Democrats and the media."

As a result, in "a break with tradition," the Republican National Convention has decided to launch its platform privately this election cycle, Semafor reports.

The news outlet notes that the party's choice "to keep spectators and media out of the room, at Milwaukee’s Baird Center, was reported last week by the New York Times."

Trump campaign staffers Chris LaCitiva and Susie Wiles wrote in a memo last week, "For decades, Republicans have published textbook-long platforms that are scrutinized and intentionally misrepresented by our political opponents. The mainstream media uses their bully pulpit to perpetuate lies and misrepresentations, and the voters are often left believing we stand for something different than we actually do."

Semafor reports the pair "did not cite examples in the memo, but in 2016, the committee’s tweak to languageabout defending Ukraine generated bad headlines; well into 2018, it was inspiring questions from a special counsel. In 2020, the decision to punt on the platform inspired some embarrassing coverage, but not too much."

Politico reported Tuesday that "two hardline anti-abortion delegates to next week’s GOP platform committee have been stripped of their positions, according to several members of the Republican National Committee, underscoring a broader fear among evangelicals and other social conservatives that the party is poised to moderate its stance on abortion at the direction of former President Donald Trump."

The news outlet noted that a Trump campaign official argued the two delegates — "longtime party activist LaDonna Ryggs and former state party chair Chad Connelly" — were never "on the platform committee and maintained that two other people were the ones properly elected to the body by South Carolina’s convention delegates, suggesting that the 'state party' had tried to circumvent the RNC."

Additionally, Politico reports, "Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council and a member of the platform committee, accused RNC Chair Michael Whatley of 'stalling tactics' in a letter on Monday about efforts to ensure the meetings are open."

Perkins said that keeping the meetings private "heightens speculation that the GOP platform will be watered down to a few pages of meaningless, poll-tested talking points.'"

RNC committee person Oscar Brock said, "The lack of transparency is unwelcome. When people operate behind closed doors, you always have to wonder what the outcome is going to be.”

Semafor emphasizes, "The decision to pull curtains around the platform won’t stop coverage of what’s in it, but it will prevent the real-time drama of prior years."

Semafor's full report is available here. Politico's report is here. NPR's report is here.

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