RNC official slams GOP leaders for plotting to unseat Donald Trump at convention

Republican National Committee official Bruce Ash questioned what he believes to be measures taken by his fellow Republicans to stack the Republican convention against Donald Trump.

(Image credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

published 22 June 2016

Republican National Committee official Bruce Ash thinks his fellow Republicans might be plotting to stack the convention against Donald Trump, and, as overseer of the Rules Committee, he's none too pleased about it. Ash, an Arizona Republican, wrote a three-page letter to RNC members Wednesday questioning the decision to appoint allies of Mitt Romney, who is staunchly against Trump, to oversee the rules committee. He also questioned the increasing support for a "conscience clause," which would allow anti-Trump delegates to unbind themselves from voting for the presumptive nominee.

Ash contends these appointees may "work to deny [Trump] the nomination he has earned," and that implementing the clause would essentially "reverse the results of the primary contests and unbind our delegates." Whether or not they're fans of Trump, Ash wrote that it is the duty of the RNC members to support him anyway and heed the will of the voters. "We at the RNC must stand by our presumptive nominee's side and defend against all who would threaten our legitimacy as a national party," Ash wrote.