The Republican National Committee released a memo Friday morning aimed at Trump’s incessant whining about their “rigged” system, a.k.a. “the straightforward rules.”

While they did not mention Trump by name, the RNC made it clear they rejected Trump’s claims that the process had somehow been unfair to him.

Sean Spicer reminded the Trump team in the memo, “The rules surrounding the delegate selection have been clearly laid out in every state and territory and while each state is different, each process is easy to understand for those willing to learn it.”

He also adds, “It ultimately falls on the campaigns to be up to speed on these delegate rules.”  Ouch.

It then goes on to clearly explain the delegate selection process in the primaries remaining.

The memo is in full below, courtesy of the RNC.

 

TO:	Interested Parties
FROM:	Sean Spicer, RNC Chief Strategist and Communications Director @seanspicer
RE:	Delegate Allocation and Selection Rules
DATE:	April 15, 2016

 

On October 1 of last year, 50 states, 5 territories, and the District of Columbia submitted finalized plans for how delegates would be chosen for the Republican National Convention. These plans were promptly circulated to all of the campaigns and the RNC held a briefing with over 100 members of the media in attendance laying out these plans the next day on October 2.

As a party, we believe in the freedom of the states to make decisions about how they will select delegates to the National Convention. And for decades, this grassroots-driven, democratic process has been transparent and effective.

This cycle is no different.

The rules surrounding the delegate selection have been clearly laid out in every state and territory and while each state is different, each process is easy to understand for those willing to learn it.

It ultimately falls on the campaigns to be up to speed on these delegate rules. Campaigns have to know when absentee ballots are due, how long early voting lasts in certain states, or the deadlines for voter registration; the delegate rules are no different.

Whether delegates are awarded through a primary, caucus, or convention, this process is democracy in action and driven by grassroots voters across the country.

The RNC is transparent about the rules and works with campaigns on a consistent basis to address any questions surrounding the process. As we head into the final contests in April, here is a rundown of those elections and how their delegates will be selected:

WYOMING (29 DELEGATES)

Delegates in Wyoming are elected at the grassroots level at the Wyoming State Party Convention. Campaigns can organize supporters to run as delegates and those candidates can be bound if they declare for a candidate.

NEW YORK (95 DELEGATES)

On April 19, New York Republicans will go to the polls with 95 delegates at stake. Delegates are awarded by congressional district and on an at-large basis. If a candidate receives over 50 percent of the vote in a congressional district they win all three of the at-large delegates in that district. Only those candidates who receive more than 20 percent of the vote are eligible to receive delegates. The delegates bound by the primary vote will then be elected by their peers at grassroots congressional district meetings. The 11 at-large delegates to the National Convention are voted on by the Republican State Committee at their meeting on May 18.

APRIL 26th STATES (172 DELEGATES)

CONNECTICUT (28 DELEGATES)

Delegates are submitted as slates by the candidates and are awarded on an at-large and congressional district basis. At-large delegates are awarded proportionately for all candidates who receive over 20 percent of the vote with all at-large delegates awarded to a candidate if they break 50 percent. The plurality winner of the congressional district vote wins all three delegates from the district. Both the at-large and congressional are elected at the State Committee Meeting on April 26.

DELAWARE (16 DELEGATES)

Delegates are awarded on a winner-take-all basis and are voted on as a slate at the state convention on April 29.

MARYLAND (38 DELEGATES)

Three delegates for each candidate are elected directly on the ballot in each congressional district and at-large delegates are voted on individually at the State Central Committee meeting on May 14. Congressional district delegates are winner-take-all by district vote, at-large delegates are winner-take-all by statewide vote.

PENNSYLVANIA (71 DELEGATES)

Pennsylvania elects three delegates from each congressional district on the primary ballot and the State Committee elects 14 at-large delegates at their meeting on May 21. Congressional district delegates are submitted by campaigns, though are technically unbound. At-large delegates are winner-take-all based on the statewide vote.

RHODE ISLAND (19 DELEGATES)

Delegates are elected directly on the ballot in the primary election. Delegates are awarded proportionately on an at-large and congressional district basis with a 10 percent threshold.

For more information and facts about the convention, conventionfacts.gop addresses frequently asked questions about delegates, the rules, and how the process works.

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