According to Toni Pacini and David Colborne on facebook, the anti-incumbent slate for the Nevada LP leadership is:
Brett Pojunis – Chair
Jason Smith – Vice Chair
Lou Pombo – Secretary
Tim Hagan – Treasurer
David Colborne – At Large
For those not familiar with the background, see the following stories and comment threads:
James Burns Proposes New Bylaws For Nevada LP
News and Discussion of the Nevada LP
Libertarian Party of Nevada Announces Its Convention
LP Nevada Chair Responds to Resignation of Brett Pojunis From Position of State Secretary
What’s Going On with the Libertarian Party of Nevada?
Nevada State Committee Disaffiliates Its County and Regional Committees
Jim Duensing: We Libertarians Have Become What We Profess to Oppose
David Colborne: Wayne Root Votes in Favor of Big Government
Nevada’s Libertrian Party Attracts Outside Attention
John Jay Myers: The Libertarian Party of Nevada Has Issues
The new slate was introduced to supporters and interested people in the Vegas area last night at an event at Liberty Headquarters
1771 E. Flamingo Road
Suite 201 A
(Flamingo & Spencer)
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Two of the members of this slate, Pojunis and Hagan, are also on the Libertarian National Committee. Lou Pombo is a student organizer at UNLV, and David Colborne is an activist with the former Northern Nevada affiliate, which was disaffiliated along with all other county groups by the current leadership team.
Through the Nevada LP facebook group, I also found some posts by Elmer Whittaker on the Nevada LP controversies:
Corruption deepens within the LPN
Current Problems within the LPN
Libertarian Party of Nevada 2013 State Convention
Most of the articles and comments I have been able to find on the Nevada controversies have been from the anti-incumbent side, with the exception of the one article linked above quoting an email from Joe Silvestri about his concerns with Brett Pojunis. However, both sides are welcome to submit additional commentaries for publication at IPR and/or comment freely on all the articles, including the old ones.
From the slate written about in this article:
Proposed Bylaws Amendments
Proposed Amendment:
Change the Preamble to:
Preamble
People should be allowed to live as they choose so long as they do not initiate violence, coercion, nor
engage in fraud.
We adopt the Statement of Principles of the National Libertarian Party.
Proposed Amendment:
Delete sections 2 and 3 from Article II, Object.
Proposed Amendment:
Add new article just before the Parliamentary Procedure article:
AFFILIATES
Section 1. The Executive Committee or an LPN convention shall have the power to grant affiliate status
over a county or contiguous counties by a majority vote.
Section 2. The membership of an affiliated county shall be all members of the LPN who reside within
the county.
Section 3. The Executive Committee shall have the power to revoke affiliate status by a two-thirds
vote of the Executive Committee if the affiliate:
1.
Supports candidates, policies, or positions inconsistent with the national Libertarian Party
Statement of Principles,
2.
Violates Federal, State, or local law,
3.
Does not have at least three officers,
4.
Or fails to hold an annual convention.
Members voting to revoke affiliate status must state their reasons in writing.
Section 4. Each affiliate shall hold an Affiliate Convention every year prior to the State Convention.
This Affiliate Convention shall be to amend the Affiliate Bylaws, nominate candidates for public office,
or any other proper business. The Treasurer of the LPN and each Affiliate Treasurer shall work together
to ensure FEC compliance.
Section 5. Each affiliate may nominate candidates for public office to any office, which lies completely
within its borders, subject to the provisions of Nevada law. NOTA is considered a candidate and the
State Convention shall not be able to nominate candidates to any office for which NOTA was properly
nominated at an Affiliate Convention. Each Affiliate must report its list of nominated candidates to the
State Convention.
1
Proposed Amendment:
Change Article III, Membership, to:
MEMBERSHIP
Any resident of Nevada shall be considered a member of the LPN provided they:
?
Are and have been registered Libertarian in Nevada for a period of not less than 30 days,
and
?
Have donated at least twenty-five dollars ($25) to the LPN in the past 365 days, or re
–
ceived a monetary sponsorship to the LPN from another individual equal to at least twenty-five dol
–
lars ($25) in the past 365 days, and
?
Are a sustaining member of the national Libertarian Party as it was defined in the last
Bylaws of the Libertarian Party.
Proposed Amendment:
Change Article IV, Convention to:
CONVENTION
Section 1. The LPN shall hold a Convention in even-numbered years for the purpose of choosing
Candidates for Public Office and whatever business shall be deemed necessary and proper, including
but not limited to amending these bylaws, choosing delegates to the National Convention, and filling
vacancies in the Executive Committee or Judicial Committee. Vacancies in the list of delegates to the
National Convention can be filled by the Executive Committee before the National Convention, or by a
vote of the delegates at the National Convention. If the beginning date for a minor political party to file
its list of candidates with the Secretary of State is prior to February 1 of the election year, then the
Convention may be held up to 60 days before the first date to file even if that moves the Convention to
the previous year.
Section 2. The LPN shall hold a Convention in odd-numbered years for the purpose of electing
Executive Committee and Judicial Committee members, amending these bylaws, and whatever
business may deem necessary and proper.
Section 3. A special Convention shall be held within 120 days upon petition of one-third of the LPN
members or three-fourths vote of the Executive Committee. Such a petition shall state the business of
the special Convention, and no other business shall be considered at such a Convention. A special
convention may be called for any business proper for a convention, including but not limited to
amending these bylaws, electing Executive Committee members, and choosing candidates for public
office.
Section 4. All LPN members are qualified to be delegates to the Convention (hereafter referred to as
“the Convention”). No fee may be required of any LPN member to participate in the business sessions
of any Convention; however, fees may be required for participation in other convention events. A
quorum of a Convention shall be a majority of the registered delegates to the Convention.
2
Section 5. The Executive Committee shall publish the time, date, and location for Conventions no later
than 60 days before the State Convention. This publication will be sufficient if it is prominently placed
on the LPN’s official website. The Secretary of the LPN shall mail notice to all members at least 60
days before the Convention.
Section 6. The business session of each State Convention shall be recorded by video device and a copy
of the recording shall be provided to the Chair and the Secretary of the LPN along with the approved
minutes from the state convention no later than 30 days after the State Convention. In the event the
proceedings of a State Convention are challenged by a State Member, the recording of the convention
and State Convention minutes shall be provided to the Secretary and the Chair immediately.
Section 7. Candidates for Partisan Public Office
The LPN may nominate Candidates for Public Office by ballot of the Convention during an even-
numbered year.
Candidates for President and Vice President shall be nominated by the National Convention of the
Libertarian Party. Candidates for United States Senator, all statewide offices, and any office for which
the district lies within more than one affiliate shall be nominated at the Convention of the Libertarian
Party of Nevada.
Affiliates may nominate candidates for any office for which the district lies entirely within the
affiliate’s territory. The Secretary of an affiliate shall file a list of its nominated candidates with the
Secretary of the LPN by the start of the Convention.
The LPN may nominate a candidate for any office that falls completely within one affiliate, unless the
appropriate affiliate convention has either selected a candidate for that office for that election. No more
than one candidate may be elected to be the nominee of the Libertarian Party for any partisan office.
The Secretary of the LPN or the Secretary’s representative shall file a list of the nominated candidates
with the Secretary of State of Nevada, in accordance with Nevada law.
Proposed Amendment:
Change Article V, Officers to:
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. The Executive Committee of the LPN is responsible for handling the affairs and business of
the LPN.
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall consist of seven members: Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary,
Treasurer, At-Large Representative, Southern Regional Representative, and Northern Regional
Representative.
Section 3. The Executive Committee members shall be elected by a majority vote of the Convention
and shall serve until the end of the Convention at which their successors are elected. The Executive
Committee shall be elected in odd-numbered years. The Regional Representatives shall be elected by
the Convention delegates who reside in the region. In the event of a vacancy in an Executive
Committee position, the Executive Committee shall fill the vacancy by Pro Tem appointment, until the
next Convention.
3
Section 4. The Executive Committee members must be members of the LPN. No member shall hold
more than one office at a time within the LPN. Members of the LPN Executive Committee shall not be
restricted from serving in officer or representative positions within an Affiliate. The Executive
Committee members shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws and by the parliamentary
authority adopted by the LPN.
These duties shall include the following:
1.
The Chair shall preside at all LPN Executive Committee meetings and conventions.
2.
The Vice Chair shall assist the Chair in the performance of the Chair’s duties. At meetings
of the Executive Committee the Vice Chair shall preside in the absence of the Chair.
3.
The Secretary shall record and maintain minutes of party meetings and conventions, and all
non-financial records of the LPN including but not limited to these bylaws and all
committee reports. The Secretary shall send out membership notices of meetings and
conventions.
4.
The Treasurer shall maintain the LPN’s bank accounts, deposit all revenues, and pay all
bills. A formal Treasurer’s Report shall be presented annually, at the Convention. The
Treasurer shall maintain the LPN’s financial records in accordance with the law and
generally accepted accounting principles.
5.
The At-Large Representative shall represent the entire state of Nevada.
6.
The Southern Regional Representative shall represent and reside in Clark County.
7.
The Northern Regional Representatives shall represent and reside in Carson City or one of
the counties other than Clark County.
Section 5. Meetings of the LPN Executive Committee shall be held at least quarterly, either in person
or by electronic means, or the Executive Committee shall maintain an e-mail list or message board for
conducting business. A majority of the members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.
Executive Committee Meetings shall be open to all LPN members. Minutes of all Executive
Committee meetings shall be posted on the LPN website within 30 days of the date of the meeting.
Section 6. Committees, standing or special, shall be appointed by the Executive Committee as it deems
necessary to carry on the work of the LPN.
Proposed Amendment:
Add new article after the Officers article:
JUDICIAL COMMITTEE
Section 1. The Judicial Committee shall be responsible for hearing disciplinary cases in accordance
with the Robert’s Rules of Order disciplinary procedure.
Section 2. The Judicial Committee shall be composed of six members. No member of the Executive
Committee shall serve on the Judicial Committee. The Judicial Committee members shall be elected to
two-year terms. Half of the Judicial Committee shall be elected in odd number years and half shall be
elected in even numbered years.
Section 3. After each convention, the Judicial Committee shall choose its Chair.
Section 4. In the event of a vacancy in a Judicial Committee position, the Judicial Committee shall
4
appoint a replacement to serve until the next State Convention.
Section 5. The Judicial Committee shall have the power to censure or remove a member of the
Executive Committee.
5
I’ve heard this slate has their own bylaws proposals, is IPR going to post those and the ones from the current exec comm as it has with the ones from Burns and Duensing?
Uniting the people is good. There has been too much control freak forced march in lockstep “unity.”
What @22 said. We’re all over the map ideologically, but so is our membership, both current and prospective. As long as we treat each other with respect and focus on what we have in common to build the LPNV up, everything will be fine.
Besides, people change. Just because somebody leaned in one direction in the past, it doesn’t mean they can’t learn from experience and change their minds at a later date.
@20 and 21, I am guilty of being charmed/conned by Root…I have also been told I am not trustworthy by Silvestri because I dared say we should reaffiliate and look to Sandi and Colborne etc and start over as quick as possible to grow the party. I’m an open book, if there are questions, I will answer them as best I can. The slate is made up of people who have decided that the party should not be dominated by one ideal…we have agreed to discuss all issues and start acting like we say we want our country leaders to act. Ethics, transparency and accountability.
I do have a sneaky feeling there’s more going on, though. They’re just too tight-lipped about what’s going on, unlike PA and Oregon, for example.
K@19
Yes… among other alleged crimes, that was the biggie everyone complains about.
Of course Root was also for it and supported it… and Pojunis at the time was seen as aligned with Root as well… so there is a bit of political incest as far as I can tell.
On the other hand… Pojunis and slate have a solid lock on the lesser of two evils voting block (which is the largest) … SO , absent some miracle dream team radical slate emerging… I am calling the election 😉
I assume that control freak is the current chairman Joe Silvertri (sp) ?
K@15
One sociopathic control freak conspired with other lesser minions to nuke all the affiliates and take dictatorial control.
There was great blowback.
Conventions were postponed in orer to shore up support… such support never truly arrived.
Convention got scheduled with absurd fees and arbitrary rules to disenfranchise people.
More blowback.
A Pojunis slate was announced, which is a mixed bag of people who have issues (some of who were actually aligned with people who did the affiliate nuking) and people who have less issues, but the current administration is so perverted that this new slate is being greeted as liberators.
They will likely win.
@15
Waterloo.
@15 Nope.
Can someone BRIEFLY and SUCCINCTLY explain what this whole fiasco in Nevada is about?
NO CAPES!
But apparently all caps 🙂
I think I will “test” their “openness” and post something…intriguing on their newly open but still controlled forum. hahahaha,
@9: NO CAPES!
Also, regarding their sudden “openness”, the more I think about it, the more I think they’re hoping to get us off IPR and Facebook and get us holed off on to their controlled forum.
you see that though they are opening public comments on the articles , strictly moderated with a trigger finger and then public comments in a forum if you a dues paying member…not exactly open…lol
@9 LOL
the at large representative gets a cape and a bullhorn and can use his newly given super powers for good or evil , which will he choose??:)
I see the current LPN is opening limited public comments on their site. Interesting timing 🙂
@6: Well, we like to think so. *grin*
I welcome the new slate to the race. From everything I have learned so far, it seems they would be an improvement over the current leadership there.
Posted on facebook by Elmer Whittaker 2:52pm Mar 27:
It was a great event with an awesome turnout on short notice. Close to 40 Libertarians showed up to meet the slate of new candidates who are now officially running for the Executive Committee of the Libertarian Party of Nevada.
The atmosphere at the event was fantastic and delicious food and drink was served. The Meet & Greet not only gave attendees the chance to meet and familiarize themselves with the slate of candidates, but also with the Liberty Headquarters that can and will serve as a base of operations for many Libertarian undertakings and meetings
Brett H. Pojunis is running for Chairman, Jason Smith for Vice-Chairman, Lou Pombo for Secretary, Tim Hagan for Treasurer and David Colborne for At Large Representative.
Last not least, the hosts even gave Erin Lale who is running for the Henderson City Council a chance to introduce herself.
All in all a welcome and well-presented event, that was very much appreciated.
Good luck. Sounds like a good team with a badly needed fresh approach!
The bylaws say little about the At-Large Representative position, and this is by design. Unlike other officers in the Executive Committee, the At-Large Representative has the most open-ended, most ambiguous, yet the most ambitious and far-reaching responsibilities and opportunities of all of the positions in the Executive Committee. The At-Large Representative is responsible for representing every single present and future member of the Libertarian Party of Nevada during their term. This is a solemn yet exciting opportunity, one fraught with danger but also filled with tremendous promise.
As an At-Large Representative, my goal will be to do everything within my power to turn the Libertarian Party of Nevada into a true statewide party. This means organizing local activists throughout the state, not just in Las Vegas and Reno, but also in friendly rural jurisdictions. Rural Nevada’s support for Gary Johnson, on a per-capita basis, consistently outperformed Clark County’s support, and in many instances outperformed Washoe County’s. Esmeralda County returned a higher percentage of Gary Johnson voters – 3.2% – than any other county in Nevada, and well above most counties in the United States. It’s clear that, with proper motivation and support, the Libertarian Party is ready to thrive and prosper as a real statewide political party. All we need to do is recognize the opportunity and seize it.
Recognizing the opportunity, of course, is not the same as having the capacity to execute against it. Thankfully, I have friends and family throughout the state, from Elko to Fallon, from Reno to Pahrump, and several points in between, and I visit them regularly. Consequently, it will take little extra effort above what I already expend pursuing my personal leisure and intellectual pursuits to provide the necessary logistical and moral support required to establish the Libertarian Party’s presence in rural Nevada. With the help of an accommodating Executive Committee and a supportive Libertarian Party of Nevada membership, I have confidence that we will be able to establish and support several county-level Libertarian Party chapters that will run quality candidates in partisan races throughout the state
I endorse this slate of candidates but not because I love “slates” , Id endorse each of these people individually as well. They are working so hard and I would be thrilled to see this group of people elected. We’ll see April 27th~:)
I wish Brett and the others well. I think the Nevada LP could use a complete fresh start.
Excellent article, Paulie.