Some Indiana delegates to DNC join protest for Sanders

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Published: Wednesday, 27 July 2016 21:21

PHILADELPHIA — Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton won the Democratic nomination for president Tuesday, but the historic outcome pushed hundreds of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, supporters to protest.

Of Indiana’s 92 votes, Clinton received 48 votes, leaving Sanders behind with 43 votes. Sanders won the Indiana primary, but the state’s superdelegates, who can cast a vote for any candidate they wish, put Clinton over the top.

One Indiana superdelgate abstained from voting. U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, who represents northwest Indiana, was unable to attend Tuesday’s roll call session, according to Indiana Democratic Party Chairman John Zody.

Before announcing the roll call vote on behalf of Indiana delegates, U.S. Rep. Andre Carson, D-Indiana, praised Hoosier Democrats’ actions and unleashed his poetry skills.

“On this episode of ‘The Apprentice,’ we can say, last week they conspired, but their ideas misfired,” Carson said. “Their bigotry is tired. Their attacks are uninspired. So Mike Pence and Donald Trump, you are officially fired.”

In an attempt to unify the party, Sanders officially nominated Clinton and rejected all votes cast for himself.

“I move that all votes cast by delegates be reflected in the official record, and I move that Hillary Clinton be selected as the nominee of the Democratic Party for president of the United States,” Sanders said.

After Clinton officially secured the nomination with 2,838 total votes, emotions consumed the arena.

“You know, I don’t get emotional very easily, but I have to admit, I got a little choked up,” said Indiana House Minority Leader Scott Pelath, who is attending the convention as a delegate.

But the teary emotions didn’t stay for long. Angry and disappointed delegates filed out of the arena and into the media pavilion, where they gathered for a sit-in to protest Clinton’s nomination.

Indiana delegate Katharine Hadow joined protestors as they flooded the area, holding signs in support of Sanders.

“I see everybody who has worked so hard for Bernie and who has been cheated out of a fair election, finally banding together and saying this—enough is enough,” Hadow said.

Similarly, Indiana delegate Sanam El-Quesny said he felt frustrated by the outcome.

“I feel like this entire convention we’ve been silenced, which is why we have these sashes around our mouths,” El-Quesny said.

“That the 99 percent aren’t being represented and we’re just sick about the corruption. We’re sick of how the convention went.”

The protest lasted nearly three hours. When asked if they would return to the convention Wednesday, many delegates involved in the protest shrugged their shoulders.

Article writers Shelby Mullis, Megan Powell and Andi TenBarge are reporters for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.