[img_assist|nid=843|title=U.S. Rep. Ron Paul|desc=Getty Images Photo|link=none|align=none|width=420|height=209]BOWLING GREEN -- Supporters of presidential candidate and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) saw all of their efforts to influence the outcome of the Kentucky Republican convention thwarted during a noisy procedural stand-off with party leadership on the floor of Saturday's event. Amid shouting and unrestrained debate, Republican Party of Kentucky Chairman Steve Robertson pushed through votes on convention rules, resolutions, and delegate slates while dissenting Paul supporters vocally argued parliamentary procedure was being bypassed.

Near the end of a tumultuous half-hour of confusion, some of the dissent moved to depose Robertson of his position while other Paul supporters were ordered out of the convention hall by the chair.

The play-by-play

The action started shortly after a slate of high-profile Republican speakers addressed the crowd, as the convention progressed towards the "official business" portion of the program wherein slates of delegates to the Republican National Convention were to be elected and policy resolutions were to be considered.

From among the Paul supporters -- constituting a visible minority of approximately 50 delegates out of over 500 -- a challenge arose to the existing convention rules, just prior to their approval by voice vote.

One Paul delegate challenged a specific rule, arguing it disproportionately favored county delegation chairs over regular delegates in decision-making. The purpose of the effort - which likely would have been the first in a line of efforts to alter existing rules - was to open up floor proceedings to more votes and confront convention procedure seen as disadvantageous to Paul supporters.

"The goal was to have a fair chance. We wanted to pass an amendment on the rules to stop relying on pre-elected, pre-established people to make all decisions, that way at least the floor had a chance to make more votes." said Chris Hall, a Paul supporter and convention delegate from Jefferson County.

Paul supporters had used similar procedural challenges at Republican conventions in other states to enact resolutions and elect delegates to the national convention. Prior to the Kentucky convention, Paul organizers and supporters told PolitickerKY.com they endeavoured to do the same on Saturday.

But the game was up before it ever really began on Saturday in Bowling Green, as the initial amendment effort was quickly rejected by Robertson. Robertson referred to the convention agenda - previously approved by unanimous consent - which imposed limits on discussion of the rules report, saying no opportunity was left for amendment. (Corrected)

Robertson - from the dais- announced debate on the rules was closed, over shouts of discontent from a dozen Paul supporters clustered around live microphones on the convention floor.

AUDIO: Ron Paul supporters removed from the Floor of the GOP state convention

"The chair is out of order," said one Paul delegate, as Robertson struggled to move proceedings forward. "I respectfully request that Republican Party of Kentucky following its own rules."

Amid a series of calls requesting "points of order" from Paul delegates, Robertson categorized the continued "motions" as "dilatory" - the label in parliamentary procedure affording the chair the ability to ignore those making the motions.

Robertson then ordered those at the microphones to be removed from the convention hall.

At this, a majority of the crowd rapturously applauded, while Paul supporters jeered.

Confusion reigned in the hall as convention business carried on. It appeared no Paul supporters were actually removed from the hall. Many returned to their seats while others continued to request the opportunity to speak. A few others shouted over the continuation of the proceedings.

"We were just trying to participate. We didn't have a goal to be disruptive. We completely followed every rule. I was asked to leave, and I never had to leave because they couldn't tell me what rule I broke," said Erin Moore, a Paul delegate from Hardin County.

After that initial incident, the objections of the Paul supporters transformed from those over the substance of the rules to those over convention practice. When a similar effort to open up voting on resolutions was shot down by Robertson - following his consultation with the convention parliamentarian - one delegate targeted the chair himself during a "point of order."

"These procedures are not going by the rules of the Republican party. As a matter of good faith, you are not doing your job as chairman," said Greg Harris, a delegate from Fayette County. "I have a motion that the chair be deposed."

Robertson subsequently declared Harris "out of order."

"This used to be the Republican Party, not the Nazi Party," Harris responded.

"We used to have manners and we used to have courtesy," Robertson immediately retorted.

Audio: Ron Paul supporters on the floor of the GOP convention - PolitickerKY

Robertson then quickly closed convention business and brought on the day's next speaker, leaving Paul supporters stunned.

Paul supporters react

"What really discouraged a lot of us is that the minority did not get a chance to speak, or they were spoken over, or they were cut short. The way the rules were supposed to be, everybody should get a chance to speak," said Chris Hall. "It would be one thing if they got a chance to say everything they were saying, then the scene wouldn't have escalated... I would not have been happy with it, but I would have felt like it was fair and that's democracy."

Hall said Paul delegates had taken time to learn parliamentary procedure for the convention - procedure he said was violated during the events of the day.

"We dedicate so much time to try and study this stuff. We go out of our way to make sure everything is by the rules, and with integrity," said Hall. "Then for the rules just to being ignored, it's disenchanting."

"I clearly saw that the chair was violating the rules," added Richard Treitz, another Paul delegate. "At that point, he's acting like a dictator, so what's the point in even speaking?"

Robertson defends his decisions

For his part, Chairman Robertson categorized the events differently, and defended his procedural decisions.

"It just became clear that the mission here was not to support any sort of issue or any sort of movement, it was just simply to disrupt a proceeding," Robertson told PolitickerKY.com. "When it becomes clear that a number of people are only here to disrupt a proceeding, we are not going to tolerate that."

"I certainly followed the provisions of Robert's Rules of Order [the standard for parliamentary procedure]. I had a parliamentarian sitting next to me. Whenever it was in doubt, I looked to her and she said if I was proceeding in the proper way or I was not proceeding in the proper way," Robertson continued. "At no time was I advised by my parliamentarian that I was doing anything improper."

Robertson also praised Paul, and argued Saturday's confusion had more to do with "disruption" then the Paul campaign.

"At no point in this campaign has there ever been demeaning remarks about Congressman Ron Paul. He is a strong conservative, he's got a strong record, and he's got every right to seek the presidency. It's never about Ron Paul. For these people today, it's not about Ron Paul," said Robertson. "Their purpose was to come into this convention and disrupt the proceedings."

At the end of the day, Paul delegates left the convention empty-handed, with no national convention delegates elected or resolutions passed. Frustration among their ranks was evident after the event, with one delegate even demanding a refund of his convention fee from Robertson.

Others seemed intent on continuing efforts within the Republican Party.

"There are a lot of us across the state that intend to stay active. We are in this for the long haul," said Treitz. "I am here to hold the leaders of the Republican Party accountable - to hold their feet to the fire of the values and principles that they espouse."

SUNDAY on PolitickerKY.com:

• More from the state GOP convention in Bowling Green, including audio of the events on the floor and accounts of all the speeches