The following was forwarded to IPR. Alexander George is the former chairman of the Libertarian Party of Polk County, Florida and is currently considering running for governor in 2014. The article below was originally published on George’s blog.
September 14, 2013
A New Beginning for the Libertarian Party of Florida
Over the past several weeks, I have been traumatized by the current state of my party. Our top four officers have made a joke of all we hold dear. As a proud Libertarian, I am saddened more than angry. We offer our fellow citizens TRUE freedom and the right to maintain their dignity. That’s what we’re all about. We must unite and reach across party lines.
At this point, I am only “exploring” a run for Governor. Earlier, I mentioned that I will make my decision in early December. We have two excellent candidates in the race: Mr. Adrian Wyllie and Mr. John Wayne Smith. Sadly, Mr. Steve LaBianca decided not to run.
Both Mr. Wyllie and Mr. Smith are recognized by the State of Florida as LPF candidates. Unfortunately, the vendetta initiated against Mr. Smith, by party leaders, has made this an unfair contest. They’ve launched disgusting attacks not just against Mr. Smith, but against those who do not support Adrian Wyllie for Governor. I’m one of them… and frankly I am currently considered a “nobody” by the party leadership. Forget me! They are actively attacking ANYONE who has endorsed Mr. Smith.
This has gone too far. Unless this party makes a major change, we will have zero impact in 2014. First and foremost, the top four officers must resign. They are all Wyllie supporters. This is a major conflict of interest. Key Words:
Conflict of Interest
1.) Chairperson Cummings has vehemently threatened non-Wyllie supporters. I’ve heard this from voters as well as Executive Committee members. Her public statements back up these facts. She tends to put people into a “category”. Her attacks against party leaders, and voters, who do not agree with her are disgusting. This young lady has a lot to learn about leadership. She has no idea how to delegate. Issuing moronic blurbs are not a very good example of leadership. When she decides to humble herself and seek help, I have a college professor who can offer her assistance. She needs to learn how to organize, and be impartial.
2.) Vice Chairman Snitker is one of Mr. Wyllie’s best friends. There is no problem with that, at all. In fact, they’ve expressed their strong connection publically on many occasions. This is tough for me as I admire both men… Having already expressed my feelings for Mr. Wyllie, I am a great admirer of Alexander Snitker. This former U.S. Marine ran a strong campaign for the United States Senate and made many sacrifices. He’s a true Libertarian whom will one day serve in high office. However, due to his attacks against non-Wyllie supporters, he should resign as Vice Chairman of the State Party.
3.) State Secretary House is an unpredictable and backstabbing woman. I worked very closely with her as a State Committeeman and County Chairman. She hates the idea of primaries and supports Mr. Wyllie 110%. She should do so as a volunteer and not a state officer who repeatedly takes advantage of the LPF mailing list. For example:
Tomorrow afternoon there will be a Wyllie petition drive in downtown Winter Haven at the Food Truck Rally. We would like as much help as we can get for this effort. If you can make it, please meet at Richard’s Fine Coffees at the Library around 1:00 for supplies and instruction from Jote’ Thompson. It would be good if you’d wear Wyllie or LPF tea shirts or bright colors.http://richardsfinecoffees.com/
For Liberty,
Lynn House
Should the Secretary of the State Party have the right to use the party website, of the LPF, to promote this PRO-WYLLIE event?! This is just of many PRO-WYLLIE emails that have been sent by [email protected]
4.) State Treasurer Danielle Alexandre… She is one of Mr. Wyllie’s campaign managers. She’s listed as his contact on the Supervisor of Election’s website. Other than her reprehensible behavior, she needs to learn some professional courtesy. All of that aside, why is a party officer serving as an active campaign manager for a candidate who has not secured the nomination of our party?
We must move forward as a party. We only have one choice. The damage has been done. In order to win in 2014, the “top four” must go. I’ve read and re-read our by-laws. The Chairperson is almost unimpeachable. Therefore, there is one course of action:
-Mr. Snitker, Mrs. House, and Ms. Alexandre resign with immediate effect.
– Chairperson Cummings appoints a new and impartial Vice Chair who has not endorsed any candidate. Once the new Vice Chair takes office, Ms. Cummings tenders her resignation.
– The new Chair nominates impartial officers who will be subject to confirmation by the Executive Committee.
I realize this idea is far fetched and drastic. Nevertheless, it is the only way we can move forward! Sadly, it is the only solution. My fellow Floridians, I want the best for our state. We need a Governor that will serve the interests of our beautiful home.
Adrian Wyllie is a great man. So is John Wayne Smith. I ask for the above measures as a member of the Libertarian Party of Florida, and as an American citizen. Indeed, I will most likely become a candidate but this is not relevant. My party is my Launchpad to the People. I want to save it and present our ideas and principles to the voters.
No one caught the rather blatant misogyny in the article? Surprising.
I thank Mrs. House for her candor. I did indeed retract the above statement.. I was corrected by the LPF’s media director, Macy John, a very professional young lady who has the party’s best interests at heart. As I’ve stated, the event in question was local and open, etc. Nevertheless, it appeared to come from Mrs. House’s LPF signature. My mistake. Nevertheless, her opinion is clearly stated above. The voters should not select the nominee as this is “party business”. I vehemently disagree. I’ve worked closely with Mrs. House on both State and County levels. I’m well versed on her opinions, and disagree with her authoritarian stance. Bottom line: THE VOTERS MAKE THE CHOICE… Not party leadership. She’s already made her choice, as has our Chairperson Dana Moxley Cummings. Her facebook page states that she works for the LPF of Florida as well as Wyllie for Governor. This is a major conflict of interest. Also, our State Treasurer, is a campaign manager for Mr. Wyllie. Our Vice Chairman is also openly pro-Wyllie. I REALLY hate to go on and on about this issue… However, I have no choice. The selection process is up to the voters. Open support of a candidate, from officers of the party, is a CONFLICT OF INTEREST. It is not fair to others who are running or may run. I don’t understand how these top four can get away with what they are doing. Anyway, I’ve already suggested a solution: resignation. That’s not going to happen. The top four must either keep their pro-Wyllie mouths shut or our primary will look like a coronation.
Regarding” Should the Secretary of the State Party have the right to use the party website, of the LPF, to promote this PRO-WYLLIE event?! This is just of many PRO-WYLLIE emails that have been sent by [email protected]”
Mr. George has agreed to retract this statement when presented with the facts.
I have agreed to use some other mailing address to email members of the Libertarian Party of Polk County about events in our county. Though the email was not sent over my LPF signature, Mr. George was so offended by the email address that I will accommodate him.
@7 Since Vincent specifically mentioned me and quoted what Alex said I said, and because this thread if still fairly fresh, I’ll respond to that.
I’ve gone through the minutes, including listening to the recording, of the few meetings Mr. George attended during that time. I didn’t find that statement and I wish Mr. George would cite his source on this.
Not that I couldn’t have said part of that, because it’s true I do not like the State run primary process. As a 33 year Libertarian, I have been proud that the other states I’ve been active in did not use taxpayer money to fund what is essentially party business.
Florida election laws have forced the primary process on the LPF. Our organizational documents are still in the process of reconciling the way the LPF previously nominated candidates with the law.
I’ll have to see the quote source to respond to what Vincent says Mr. George said I said further.
Thank you IPR for your good coverage.
Fortunately in Massachusetts we never have to face this problem. You get on the ballot by filing a nominating paper with signatures on it, the State Association having no role in the matter.
I’ve gotta say, its pretty sad that the LPF leadership sees fit to air their dirty laundry on IPR and Facebook.
LPF leaders keep saying that things are great in FL, membership is growing, and that the unrest is insignificant. However, based on what I read on here, it looks like the party is totally divided, the EC is a mess, and the party is run by a bunch of people that act like teenage girls.
I’m sure that it isn’t nearly as bad as it looks on IPR. We just see that drama here, as the good stuff that happens within the party doesn’t make for interesting reading. So, I strongly suggest to all of you in FL that you consider what this looks like to others in the liberty movement. Think about this – if you read stuff like this about the LP in another state, would you send them a check?
The same goes for candidates. Thankfully, in the case of LPF, Mr. Wyllie seems to have backed away from the drama in the last couple of weeks. I suggest that all candidates think even more seriously about playing in to the drama in public. If I spend my time on IPR soap operas today, and ask you for a check tomorrow, will you send me one? I seriously doubt it.
@Mike Kane
“The chair of the Selection Committee is NOT on the EC so there is no basis to the claim that the EC somehow shows favoritism in vetting. We aren’t involved. We didn’t create the questionnaire, we do not talk to the candidates that are being vetted and we only give an approval once they are recommended by the Selection Committee. The approval is a basic rubber stamp. Not one candidate has not been approved by the EC that has been recommended by the Selection Committee and any EC member that would have any type of conflict of interest is asked to abstain from voting (as they should be).”
I would say that is pretty removed.
@Steve M.
The Selection Committee used to be called the Electoral Victory Committee/Nominating Committee. Due to state law that changed in 2012 we can no longer use those names. The By-laws and Constitution were changed at the convention. The Standing Rules are changed by the EC and our Rules Committee is currently going through the Standing Rules to comply with the changes made at convention and by state law. This was not focused on before our convention since that document is a “lessor” legal document and can be changed by the Executive Committee of the LPF at any time. The By-laws and Constitution can only be changed by the delegation at the convention and was the priority. That wording will be changed very soon to say “Selection Committee” as the name was changed officially in our Constitution at the convention in May.
Like I said, the 3rd largest LP state affiliate with sustaining membership to the national?
New York, Virgnia, and Ohio will be knocking on that door soon.
Steve M is someone who believes that libertarian party organizations should follow their own rules and not make them up on the fly giving the appearance of an unfair playing field.
GW @ 20: steve M is someone who regularly takes an opposite position to something he isn’t part of and continues to attack even when everyone else has gone on to something else.
Whats really funny is that the Standing Rules are really specific… They only for the Executive Committee to delegate to a allow a committee named “Electoral Victory Committee” . So having another committee do it is in violation of the rules. The rules also do not authorize any committee to additional requirements beyond.
Is the candidate a member of the party?
Is the candidate registered to vote as a libertarian?
ARTICLE IV Election of Officers, Directors, Candidates
Section 1. All candidates for office and political office may be asked to confirm certain basic principles before the convention This may be delegated to the Nominating Committee for candidates for party office (including Delegates to the National Convention of the Libertarian Party and Presidential Electors) and to the Electoral Victory Committee for Candidates for political office, and includes confirming that they are members of the State Party and registered to vote in the state as Libertarians. (Passed by the Executive Committee 1-16-93, delineating 2 committees, Executive Committee, 7-10-93, amended by the Executive Committee 3-6-96 and 7-27-96)
I believe Mr. George brings up some valid points in his article. Thanks for posting this.
It’s wrong to say that the
“EC is very removed from the vetting procedure. We don’t get involved and that is exactly how it should be.” — because the EC ultimately has to vote to certify the candidate and approve the “vet” from the committee.
It was on last weeks agenda the certify the vet of Randy Taylor and the LPF EC is voting on it next week.
Who is Steve M?
The questionnaire is created, approved and used by the chair of the Selection Committee. When he first became chair of that committee he circulated the questionnaire to tell the EC that was what he was going to use but it was never voted on by the EC. It is up to the chair of each committee how they run their committee and the EC does not get involved in that whatsoever.
The chair of the Selection Committee is NOT on the EC so there is no basis to the claim that the EC somehow shows favoritism in vetting. We aren’t involved. We didn’t create the questionnaire, we do not talk to the candidates that are being vetted and we only give an approval once they are recommended by the Selection Committee. The approval is a basic rubber stamp. Not one candidate has not been approved by the EC that has been recommended by the Selection Committee and any EC member that would have any type of conflict of interest is asked to abstain from voting (as they should be).
What most people don’t seem to understand is that the EC is very removed from the vetting procedure. We don’t get involved and that is exactly how it should be.
You shouldn’t need any permission to publish what should be a public document! Who created this questionnaire? the NSA?
Publish it now!
The convention report was linked to in an article on this site. The vote for approval of the vetting process changes is on page 6.
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/05/mike-kane-libertarian-party-of-florida-post-convention-report/
The questionnaire itself was probably created in committee. I’ll look into that in more detail. Also, I’ll seek permission to post it in its entirety.
Im copying and pasting what I said on FB here with a bit of context placed before:
[All candidates are supported by the party.] I’m sure of any candidates made light of an event they are going to we’d share it that information. The main benefit of being vetted is that your name gets displayed on the LPF website as proof that candidate supports the platform. That is entirely what I gather out of the entire vetting process. The benefit of the process is that it can weed out the Bob Barrs of the LP.
It sure looks like the FL Libertarian Party Executive Committee is a lawless organization that doesn’t even live within their written charter as voted upon by their members.
Matt…. you are making this a pretty sad joke.
Still, you haven’t explained by what authority you generated a 14 page interrogation. Was this 14 page questionnaire approved by the state convention or was it created after the convention by some committee?
Show us the how under the Florida LP Bylaws and Standing Rules this questionnaire and how it is used is authorized.
Here is the start of the first page and first question on the questionnaire:
Libertarian Party of Florida
Candidate Questionnaire
Please check off each yes or no (agree or disagree) and write short synopsis why.
Return document to At Large 3’s email here
Name ___________________
STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLE:
The Libertarian Party of Florida does not believe in or advocate the initiation of force to achieve social or political goals.
Yes [ ] N [ ]
___________________________________________________________________________________
Matt, who authorized creating the questionnaire? was this done by the state convention if so… show us the minutes?
And while you are at it scan the blank copy you have and publish it.
After all it is just 14 pages about the LP Florida platform which can be found at http://www.lpf.org/our-party/platform/
And when loaded into a word processor takes all of 4 pages?
All the questionnaire is, is just the platform broken down into 14 pages of questions starting with the preamble. Its literally a yes or no quiz with a few lines to explain your reasoning for answering what you did. Its graded based on if you agree with 80% of the platform. So if you checked and explained that you support 80% of the platform you’re good. I still have the blank copy of the one I submitted for my vetting in my email…
Show us the minutes of the convention… that approved the questionnaire!
Your problem is that if this really had been done by state convention the questionnaire and how it is graded would be included in your standing rules.
They clearly aren’t in standing rules! So either you had an executive committee meeting where they were passed or they were passed by your “Electoral Victory Committee” of which you don’t seem to have one.
So time to fess up. Who created the questionnaire and how it is graded and decided to use it as part of the vetting process?
It was voted on at the state convention… my secretary was there as a delegate.. I chair the Hernando County. Fl LP.
I like Steve’s response better.
I will believe that the Florida LP Executive Committee isn’t behaving in an authoritarian and dictatorial manner when they demonstrate that the addition of a questionnaire to the vetting process was voted on and passed by a State wide convention. Until then it looks like the Executive committee is trying to dictate who the candidates are going to be and doing so by using the resources of the Florida Libertarian Party (which belongs to the party and not to the any executive committee).
Because they say so? When Lynn House says the following: “We need Adrian. Adrian will be the nominee for Governor and no one can stop that… primaries are stupid. WE should select them..This is OUR party” it is hard to see them as anything but authoritarian.
Vincent… they arent authoritarians…
Mr. George, your attempt to help the LPF will prove futile. When authoritarians have power, they are not generally apt to willingly give up that power.
Dana, where are the minutes of the state convention, or committee meeting that added a questionnaire to the vetting process? that approved the questions on the questionnaire and how the questionnaire is graded?
“They also fill out a questionnaire that specifically deals with the state platform. If they agree with 80% of the state platform they are moved past vetting and the EC votes on the candidate. As of Sept 2013 nobody has been rejected from vetting.”
The executive committee is not the party! The party is much larger. The question is will the party tolerate the abuses of the executive committee?
Request has been heard and denied. Ill keep reminding you, there is only ONE candidate that has asked to be vetted. If a candidate wants party support…the candidate must simply ask for it.
Oh, oh… methinks some major poo poo is going to happen!