Will Ron Paul Fans Disrupt the RNC Convention?

We don’t know yet…but

In the Wall Street Journal, it was reported that:

Supporters of Ron Paul have filed a lawsuit against the Republican National Committee and just about all the state parties, claiming that they gave Mr. Romney inappropriate assistance during the primaries and harassed Paul supporters, including the use of violence and intimidation, AP reported.

The alleged threats of violence in the complaint include “dressing security type people in dark clothing searching out supporters of a Candidate Defendants do not approve of to harass and intimidate said Delegates from voting their conscience.”

Mr. Paul’s campaign has said it doesn’t support the lawsuit, but he gave some encouragement to his followers, telling CNN that they had been “pushed around” and that the Republican Party didn’t follow the rules in every instance.

The suit is seeking clarification from a federal court in California over whether delegates at the national convention can vote for any candidate of their choice, even if those delegates were won by Mr. Romney. The suit also alleges that the RNC violates federal law by requiring them to sign pledges to back a certain candidate, restricting delegates’ voting options and illegally limiting their vote, the National Journal reported.

The RNC, which dismissed the suit as frivolous, still intends to plan a legal strategy in response. “We view the suit as completely frivolous but one to which a serious response must be made,” RNC Chief Legal Counsel John Phillippe Jr. told CNN.

“When the RNC calls this frivolous, I think it’s very telling about how the RNC has no respect for the delegates at the convention,” Richard Gilbert, the attorney representing the plaintiffs, told CNN. “These are delegates to a national convention who are asking the judge for guidance whether to follow federal law or whether to follow state party rules or state bylaws. How can that be a frivolous case?

AND NOW…

From the Tampa Bay Times:

“Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul will hold a free rally for thousands of supporters at the University of South Florida Sun Dome on the day before the Republican National Convention, USF announced Friday.

Doors will open at 11 a.m. Aug. 26 for the event, which starts at noon and is open to the public. It is not a ticketed event. The Sun Dome has seating for 10,400.

Earlier this month, Paul campaign chairman Jesse Benton said the rally would celebrate the Texas congressman’s accomplishments in the cause of liberty set a tone of “professionalism and respect” for Paul’s delegates at the RNC, which takes place from Aug. 27-30 at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

In addition, separate groups of Paul supporters are planning two other festivals for the days before the convention.

Paul Festival 2012 is being planned for the Florida State Fairgrounds, just east of Tampa, to celebrate Paul’s life, philosophy and service.

Thirty-five miles further to the east on Interstate 4, Freedom Festival 2012 is being planned for Fantasy of Flight in Polk County. There the main focus is expected to be less on Paul himself and more on the U.S. Constitution. Both festivals are scheduled to take place from Aug. 24 through 26.”