Clinton nets 2 more delegates at raucous Nevada convention

Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton stretched her delegate lead over rival Bernie Sanders by two at Nevada’s rowdy Democratic convention on Saturday. 

Clinton picked up seven more delegates, while Sanders was awarded five, according to local reports. The results line up with the state’s February caucuses, when Clinton won about 53 percent of the vote. 

{mosads}Clinton now has 20 Nevada delegates to Sanders’s 15 when their new delegates are combined with those awarded after the caucuses.

But there was immediate backlash as the results were announced, with many Sanders supporters crying foul over their reported exclusion from the process.  

Leslie Sexton, a convention credentials committee co-chair, took the microphone just after the final results were read and said she had a minority report but was not allowed to give it. 

The crowd started up loud chants of “Let her speak” and “Recount,” and after a few minutes a Democratic National Committee (DNC) member gave her the podium.

Sexton reported that nearly 64 Sanders delegates to the state convention were excluded from the convention process. The Vermont senator only had 33 fewer delegates than Clinton in attendance. 

“The credentials minority report is based on the challenge of 64 Sanders delegates. Contrary to the procedures and precedents set by the committee, nearly none of these 64 people were presented with the opportunity to be heard by the committee or to demonstrate that they are registered Democrats,” Sexton said.

“Without the opportunity to be heard, no delegate could be stricken. The actions of the credentials committee violates the spirit of the Nevada state delegate plan, which encourages full participation in the democratic process, and it violates the spirit and values of our state and our nation.”

The DNC member said the report would be submitted to the national committee.

In a memo, the Nevada Democratic Party said 58 Sanders supporters were denied because they either were not registered Democrats by May 1 or their information — such as address, date of birth and name — could not be found or identified in time, and they did not respond to requests to provide that information. 

“Of these 64 Delegate 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 said.

“The Nevada State Democratic Party abided by the unanimous rules set forth by the Credentials Committee, which was comprised of party leaders and officials with an equal division of both Clinton and Sanders campaign supporters.”

The entire convention was plagued by problems, as Sanders supporters decried various voice vote decision, the delegate counts and booed Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.). 

Nevada’s delegate process was thrown into chaos after Sanders supporters outnumbered Clinton supporters at the Clark County convention, allowing more of his delegates to attend the state convention. 

— Updated at 12:10 a.m.