NEW CHAPTER IN STRUGGLE FOR ELECTION SEAT
WEST PALM BEACH, FL -- A new chapter tonight, in a struggle for a political seat that's been underway since the August election.
The son of a White supremacist leader is continuing his fight to keep his seat on the Palm Beach County Republican Committee.
Supporters from both sides are already at the government building where the meeting will be held on the 6th floor.
And both sides are expecting a lot of fireworks tonight.
19-year-old Derek Black arrived at the government building with growing support from a radical movement.
It starts with Black's father, who runs "Stormfront," a White supremacist website.
He's also a former klan leader.
"He can contribute a great deal," said Derek's father Don Black. "It has nothing to do with me. If people don't like me, it doesn't mean they don't have to like my son."
Former KKK grand wizard David Duke likes Don's son. Duke is publicly backing the teen, who won 62% of the vote for a committee position back. Still, Derek Black maintains he's not racist, just concerned about discrimination against White people.
"I'm not a White supremacist," said Derek Black. "It's an insult thrown around by party bigwigs who think they can control a democracy."
Sid Dinerstein is the head of Palm Beach County's Republican party. He says it not about Black's background at this point.
But that he's one of six local committeemen who've been disqualified for not signing a loyalty oath.
"These are not Palm Beach County rules," said Dinerstein. "These are Republican party of Florida rules and they've been applied everywhere across the state evenly. Nobody is discriminating against Mr. Black or anybody else."
But, Black says the people have spoken in a fair electoral process and Republican leaders don't have the right to take the position away from him.
"The whole intention was political shenanigans," said Black. "They wanted to control who got on, have the priority to disqualify someone who was legally elected."
Dinerstein says Black will be allowed in the chambers tonight, just like any other member of the public. But he won't be allowed to vote as a member of the committee.
"But that is not our fault," said Dinerstein. "That is his fault for not completing the loyalty oath last June."
The son of a White supremacist leader is continuing his fight to keep his seat on the Palm Beach County Republican Committee.
Supporters from both sides are already at the government building where the meeting will be held on the 6th floor.
And both sides are expecting a lot of fireworks tonight.
19-year-old Derek Black arrived at the government building with growing support from a radical movement.
It starts with Black's father, who runs "Stormfront," a White supremacist website.
He's also a former klan leader.
"He can contribute a great deal," said Derek's father Don Black. "It has nothing to do with me. If people don't like me, it doesn't mean they don't have to like my son."
Former KKK grand wizard David Duke likes Don's son. Duke is publicly backing the teen, who won 62% of the vote for a committee position back. Still, Derek Black maintains he's not racist, just concerned about discrimination against White people.
"I'm not a White supremacist," said Derek Black. "It's an insult thrown around by party bigwigs who think they can control a democracy."
Sid Dinerstein is the head of Palm Beach County's Republican party. He says it not about Black's background at this point.
But that he's one of six local committeemen who've been disqualified for not signing a loyalty oath.
"These are not Palm Beach County rules," said Dinerstein. "These are Republican party of Florida rules and they've been applied everywhere across the state evenly. Nobody is discriminating against Mr. Black or anybody else."
But, Black says the people have spoken in a fair electoral process and Republican leaders don't have the right to take the position away from him.
"The whole intention was political shenanigans," said Black. "They wanted to control who got on, have the priority to disqualify someone who was legally elected."
Dinerstein says Black will be allowed in the chambers tonight, just like any other member of the public. But he won't be allowed to vote as a member of the committee.
"But that is not our fault," said Dinerstein. "That is his fault for not completing the loyalty oath last June."
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