President Donald Trump threatened Monday to pull the Republican convention planned for Charlotte this summer if the state's Democratic...
President Donald Trump threatened Monday to pull the Republican convention planned for Charlotte this summer if the state's Democratic governor will not ease stay-home restrictions and allow 'full attendance.'
Trump leveled the threat – which carries a significant economic impact on the battleground state – days after threatening to hold up Michigan funding over the governor's proposals for mail-in ballots amid the coronavirus pandemic.
But after his threat caused the expected uproar, Trump denied Internet speculation he was hatching a plan to move the convention to the Trump golf property in Doral, Florida – where he had previously planned to host the G7 meeting.
Donald Trump threatened Monday to withdraw the GOP convention from Charlottee
'I have zero interest in moving the Republican National Convention to Doral in Miami, as falsely reported by the Fake News @nytimes in order to stir up trouble,' Trump wrote. 'Ballroom is not nearly big enough & would like to stay in N.C., whose gov. doesn’t even know if he can let people in?.'
Trump was referencing a passage in a New York Times article last week about the GOP's plans to carry on with its convention and challenges it might experience. It said Trump 'has mused aloud to several aides about why the convention can’t simply be held in a hotel ballroom in Florida, given all of the health concerns and the fact that Florida is further along in reopening portions of the state.'
'I love the Great State of North Carolina, so much so that I insisted on having the Republican National Convention in Charlotte at the end of August. Unfortunately, Democrat Governor, @RoyCooperNC is still in Shutdown mood & unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed ... full attendance in the Arena,' Trump wrote.
'In other words, we would be spending millions of dollars building the Arena to a very high standard without even knowing if the Democrat Governor would allow the Republican Party to fully occupy the space. Plans are being ... made by many thousands of enthusiastic Republicans, and others, to head to beautiful North Carolina in August. They must be immediately given an answer by the Governor as to whether or not the space will be allowed to be fully occupied,' Trump said, expanding on the threat.
'If not, we will be reluctantly forced ... to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site. This is not something I want to do. Thank you, and I LOVE the people of North Carolina!' Trump concluded.
Donald Trump threatened to withdraw the GOP convention set for August from the state
Democrats are planning their own convention in Milwaukee. They delayed it until later in the summer, and are making contingencies for a virtual convention. The GOP convention is set for August 24.
Vice President Mike Pence also followed up on the threat, saying the GOP might move to a state 'that is farther along on reopening and can say with confidence that, that we can gather there.' He mentioned progress in Texas, Georgia, and Florida, all states that are run by Republicans.
The state is a key electoral prize. Trump holds a single-point lead in the RealClearPolitics average.
Conventions are planned more than a year in advance, and moving such a large undertaking, while securing enough hotel space for delegates, global media, and Secret Service, amid a pandemic would be a major logistical challenge.
The RNC inked contracts with Charlotte in 2018 that make it exceedingly hard to back out, even in the event Trump decided he wanted to go through with his threat to walk away from a key battleground state.
Cooper on Friday moved to 'Phase 2' of its 'Safer at Home' order. It allows gatherings of 10 people in doors and 25 people outdoors. Dine-in restaurants are limited to 50 per cent capacity. Childcare, day camps, and overnight camps are allowed to open with enhanced cleaning in place.
An aide to Cooper told the Times: 'State health officials are working with the R.N.C. and will review its plans as they make decisions about how to hold the convention in Charlotte. North Carolina is relying on data and science to protect our state’s public health and safety.'
RNC rules state that the convention must be conducted in person, and the convention would have to meet to change the rules.
Trump as repeatedly used the Twitter platform to attack Democratic governors for their coronavirus response measures.
On Saturday, he teed off on California over its plan for mail-in ballots, which would let voiders avoid polling places.
'The Democrats are trying to Rig the 2020 Election, plain and simple!' he tweeted just after 8:30pm.
Earlier Sunday, Trump wrote: 'The United States cannot have all Mail In Ballots. It will be the greatest Rigged Election in history. People grab them from mailboxes, print thousands of forgeries and 'force' people to sign. Also, forge names. Some absentee OK, when necessary. Trying to use Covid for this Scam!' the president wrote, without citing any evidence for his claims.
Last week, Trump tweeted: 'Breaking: Michigan sends absentee ballots to 7.7 million people ahead of Primaries and the General Election. This was done illegally and without authorization by a rogue Secretary of State. I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path!'
In fact, the state's governor, Gretchen Whitmer, had sent absentee ballot applications to voters, a change he made in a second corrected tweet.
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