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Nevada Democrats defend exclusion of Bernie convention delegates that led to explosion of anger

Police brought into Nevada Democratic convention after fights broke out -- Twitter
Tom Boggioni
May 15, 2016

Nevada's Democratic State Committee defended excluding 58 Bernie Sanders' delegates at their convention Saturday night, saying they failed to register properly as Democrats before the final caucus.

At the contentious convention, held in the Paris hotel in Las Vegas, scuffles broke out as Sanders' supporters claimed that the state party subverted the will of the voters by awarding more pledged delegates to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

(RELATED: Nevada Democrats shift the blame: Casino security made us shut down chaotic convention)

According to the Las Vegas Sun, Clinton took 20 of the 35 pledged delegates Nevada will send to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia this summer.

Sanders supporters -- who  were slightly outnumbered by fans of Clinton -- shouted down speakers, with California Sen. Barbara Boxer called a "b*tch" as she tried to speak. Supporters of the Vermont senator complained bitterly as Democratic leaders quickly attempted to gavel the proceedings to a close.

In a tweet posted by Nevada journalist Jon Ralston, the Nevada State Democratic Party defended excluding 58 Sanders delegates.

According to the party:

There were 64 Sanders Delegates and Alternates whose validity was challenged because of the following issues:
  • They were not registered Democratic voters in Nevada By May 1, 2016.
  • Their information -- such as address, date of n=birth and name -- could not be found and they did not respond to requests from the party and campaigns to correct it.

They continued, "Of these 64 Delegates and Alternates, six were allowed to be seated after their appropriate information was provided and 58 were denied because of the reasons outlined above."

The party also called any "insinuation of unfairness ... totally inaccurate," saying they were abiding by rules unanimously set forth by the Credentials Committee.

Watch video from the convention below:

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