By Mark O. Stern

As a committee member at the recent GOP State Convention, I witnessed firsthand a lack of advance notice on important issues, lack of communication among delegates, and ability to rig votes to advance the agenda of the in group. None of these things happened by accident.

As a result of this kind of confusion, insider supporters of Carol Smith Donovan (who ran for National Committeewoman), including current National Committeewoman Mary Jo Arndt, were heard to complain that they weren't told what the rules were. Supposedly, Mrs. Arndt was also refused permission to address the convention.

I say, welcome to the world of the Illinois GOP grass roots! 

It was poetic justice that the arcane, closed process championed by the insiders worked to such an extreme that neither an incumbent State Central Committeewoman nor one of the top 3 GOP officials in the state could even figure it out or get a chance to speak.

Maybe now that some insiders have been bitten, they'll understand why, if we want to return to relevance as a party, we need to start by operating fair and open conventions, where floor discussion is actually allowed, committees are identified publicly in advance, and agendas and rules are posted on line for all to see.

I served on the Committee on Arrangements at the State Convention. Thanks to the excellent efforts of Macon County GOP Chairman Jim Gresham and many volunteers, most of the work was already done.  Our committee had only one job:  to approve any convention signage.

I knew that the State Central Committee's Convention Committee on Rules and Procedures had ruled at its May 14, 2008 meeting that all convention signage, other than Illinois Republican Party signage, shall be approved in advance by the Committee on Arrangements. Thus, anyone who wanted to display signs needed our permission. But most of my fellow committee members had no idea what our job was, and until I arrived in the meeting room, I did not know who the other members of the committee were.

Our committee was chaired by Roger Claar, 13th District State Central Committeeman who, to his credit, allowed discussion and audience comments. We had 19 seats - one appointed by each State Central Committeeman - but only 10 members present, barely a quorum.

The committeemen from Congressional Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 12, 13, 16, and 17 either didn't appoint anyone or their appointee didn't show up. Maybe if State Central Committeemen had to answer to Republican primary voters, they would make more of an effort to fill these slots. But I digress.

Chairman Claar presented a resolution to allow only McCain and Sauerberg signs at the convention - including anywhere on the hotel grounds as well as the convention hall.  At most conventions, supporters wave or post signs while their candidate speaks - part of the fun of a convention - or just to publicize their candidates. So, I moved to allow a reasonable number of signs for any Republican candidate, like Peter Roskam, Mark Kirk, or Aaron Schock.

Despite vociferous objections that this would lead to chaos and that everyone already knows all the other candidates, so they don't need signs, my amendment carried, 6 to 4. However, it did not have the 10 votes needed under the rules to advance it to the full convention. Chairman Claar then brought back his original resolution. I could have voted no, and it would have failed.

But, Chairman Claar had in front of him a stack of blank appointment notices signed by State Chairman Andy McKenna, allowing him to name anyone to the committee, with no prior notice, regardless of the district where that person resided (even though the state party had disqualified regular delegates who didn't reside in the district from which they were appointed). Had I voted no, Chairman Claar could have simply appointed as many additional committee members as necessary to advance the official resolution. Thus, I did not prolong the fight, and the restrictive resolution passed.

Despite this, no McCain or Sauerberg signs were ever distributed, and other candidates' signs were allowed to remain on the grounds.

The only person adversely affected was Carol Smith Donovan, State Central Committeewoman for the 7th Congressional District and candidate for National Committeewoman. Donovan supporters passed out signs during the voting for National Committeewoman, which were promptly confiscated by the sergeants at arms. Her supporters later staged a noisy walkout.

But I have no sympathy for her - her delegate on my committee voted against my motion to allow signs!

Mark O. Stern is a Wheaton attorney and activist, specializing in public school accountability issues.