Some upset over scheduling of county convention

Thursday, Feb. 17, 2000 | 12:02 p.m.

Clark County Republican leaders say they didn't mean to offend anyone when they selected Easter weekend for the annual county party convention.

"I didn't know it was Easter weekend," Chairman Lonnie Hammargren said Tuesday at a contentious meeting of the party's executive board.

Six Republicans on the 40-member board sought to change the gathering to another weekend.

"I'm sorry April 21 (Good Friday) offends someone," said Greg Millspaugh, convention chairman. "The date was not chosen by someone hostile to Christians."

The convention also creates a conflict for those celebrating Passover, an eight-day celebration that begins April 19 at sundown.

GOP board member Glen Cochran said selecting Easter weekend is "offensive" and will reduce attendance at a time when the GOP is trying to encourage more participation.

He said some Republicans believe the Easter weekend was deliberately chosen, but he doesn't think so.

"I don't think it was an effort to eliminate the Christian right," Cochran said.

Hammargren closed the meeting to the public after about 30 minutes. Afterward, he said he did so to exclude a Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter.

"You've never been a friend of the Republican Party and didn't come here to write a nice story about us," Hammargren said.

Nathan Taylor, who argued on behalf of those wanting to change the county convention so it didn't conflict with the religious holidays, said Wednesday the meeting turned ugly during the hour it was closed. He told the Review-Journal that some were in tears over the "mean and disrespectful" things that had been said.

The group split over changing the date, with some saying it would create chaos since the mass precinct meetings are set for Feb. 23.

Meanwhile, the state convention will be held in Carson City and overlaps with Memorial Day weekend.