The Republican National Committee has ruled that five states are in violation of the party's primary schedule and will lose half of their delegates to the 2008 presidential convention.

Officials in New Hampshire, Florida, South Carolina, Michigan and Wyoming are planning to hold a binding primary before Feb. 5, the first day the RNC rules allows.

RNC Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan just told reporters he will enforce the rules, adopted in 2004, that punish states that go out of order.

"The rules clearly state these states will lose half their delegates to the 2008 Republican convention," Duncan said.

Of course, few expect it to come to that. Even if the primaries go ahead as scheduled, as long as one candidate runs away with the nomination -- which has been the case for every recent contest -- the penalties will be meaningless.

And the eventual nominee will have a grand time granting amnesty to recalcitrant states by telling the convention he wants their delegates seated -- a request almost guaranteed to be granted.

Still, if it does come to a legal fight, Duncan said, the RNC will have precedent on its side.

Duncan said this is a preliminary finding and parties that devise new rules can resubmit their plans and gain approval.

"We always believe in redemption," he said.

Here is the very long and convoluted document the party adopted today.

-- Stephen Dinan, national political reporter, The Washington Times