In the comments section below I will report as best I can on the Libertarian Party of Alabama convention taking place today in Atmore, Alabama at the Wind Creek casino. Currently Bill Redpath is speaking as the introductory speaker of the convention and officer reports will be next. If anyone attending those conventions is interested, please also use or encourage other people in attendance to use the comment section below to report on other state LP conventions taking place this weekend. In addition to Alabama the others I am aware of are:
IL Mar 2-3
NM Mar 2-3
PA Mar 3-4
NV Mar 3
Please let us know in the comments if there are others I missed, and please report on those too if you can.
I liveblog other states too. Tennessee this weekend, Arkansas in two weeks, outside chance Mississippi two weeks after that.
Paulie: Thanks for summary elsewhere. And now I see why you are so interested in AL. You live there and know all the characters and issues! 🙂
http://www.lpnevada.org/lpn_shocks_state_politics_2018
Libertarian Party of Nevada (LPN) Shocks State Politics With Candidates for Governor, Congress
by Alexander Dibenedetto
Las Vegas, Nevada (Monday, March 5, 2018) – On March 3rd, 2018, at the Alexis Park Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Libertarian Party of Nevada (LPN) nominated candidates for partisan public office. These candidates include Jared Lord for Governor, Timothy Hagan for US Senate, Robert Strawder for CD1, Steven Brown for CD3, and Gregg Luckner for CD4.
Local candidates also chosen at a recent county convention include Richard Bronstein for State Senate District 20, Ron Newsome for State Assembly District 17, Bruce James-Newman for State Assembly District 29, and Douglas Marsh for Clark County Commission G. Wendy Stolyarov also announced her intention to seek election to the Mayor of Sparks.
“We’re really excited about giving Nevadans an alternative to the broken two-party system this year” commented LPN Executive Committee Chairman Jason Smith. “This is what we’ve been building toward these past 14 months, where we gained over 1100 new registered voters! I know voters are ready for change with a failure like Trump in the White House.”
LPN Executive Director Alexander DiBenedetto added “With less than 42 voters to reach 1% total statewide voter registration, I know the LPN will have a much greater impact on elections this year; we plan to beat the spread in every election and give all Nevadans a chance to say ‘No!’ to the Republicans and Democrats.”
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NV
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1870528882972020.1073741838.204891532869105&type=3
Alabama
FL
Amanda Dillon
damn, hook me up with whatever that flower is supposed to be!
#reeferUtopia
Jean-Luc Outis
Paulie Cannoli
http://nmpoliticalreport.com/810831/at-its-first-major-party-convention-new-mexico-libertarian-party-picks-primary-candidates/
Here’s the video Michael Pickens played at the LPAL convention while we waited on Radley Balko.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMM_T_PJ0Rs
Dillon Mabrey of Etowah Co Libertarians and now LPAL at large says he played it for his father, a longtime hardcore opponent of cannabis legalization, and that this 3.5 minute video instantly changed his father’s mind.
Thanks everyone for reading and commenting. And thanks Chuck for the PA updates. I’m not a fan of the site this appeared on, but the report itself seems to be fine, and even sounds positive. It’s about NM and is the first thing to cross my desk about that one. Sound like they had a very impressive convention and have grown a lot since I was last there.
https://71republic.com/2018/03/04/inside-the-2018-new-mexico-libertarian-convention/
Nice! Thanks for live blogging this. Glad Balko made it, it’s cool that you guys are working on civil asset forfeiture.
Congratulations to the Alabama LP for regrouping and continuing forward.
The Pennsylvania convention adjourned shortly after my previous comment. We never got to bylaws amendments. Apparently half the room thought we were eating dinner and coming back, not realizing the motion meant we were done for the year.
The LPPA is considering a resolution about regional representation on the LNC. Some LPPA members thought Dr. Lark has not been responsive enough.
The motion was to takeover region 5 and put a Pennsylvanian in the LNC. (I don’t have the exact language… it was completely non-binding and wasted at least 30 minutes.)
Pennsylvania approved a full list of 39 delegates — including Adam Kokesh from out of state. Additionally all current LPPA members will be submitted as alternates.
PA Judicial Committee elected:
Matt Shutter
Henry Haller
Richard Schwarz
Grant Meckly
Roy Minet
Drew Bingaman was re-elected chair.
Jennifer Moore was elected eastern vice-chair.
David Vesely was elected western vice-chair. (He had been appointed earlier in the year to serve out the term of a vacancy.)
Bill Sloane was re-elected central vice-chair.
Joe Soloski was re-elected treasurer.
Steven Brenize was re-elected secretary.
LPPA members unanimously nominated Kathy Smith for Lt. Governor. She was previously twice elected to the school board in Washington County.
LPPA members unanimously nominated Ken Krawchuk for governor. Ken has run for governor twice previously.
We are hearing reports from the chair, central vice-chair, western vice-chair, treasurer, and secretary. The eastern vice-chair is not in attendance. The audience had a number of questions for the treasurer and the secretary. It sounds like all of them will be running for re-election.
The Pennsylvania convention business session is starting right now. U.S. Congress special election candidate Drew Gray Miller is reading the national and PA statement of principles to open the meeting.
Comment on “We are those libertarians” poster. On the one hand it is great that the group is working so well together.
On the other hand, libertarians must remember that those who REALLY work best together are the powerseekers and apparatchiks out for position and profit for themselves. Those type brook no dissent from their agendas. So any time libertarians working well together start to put down those whose job it is to be skeptical, to criticize, to offer alternatives, to run for office to replace those some may now be calling “partyarchs”, other libertarians must be wary.
I’m not saying these guys are doing that. However the last line about “positivity, professionalism and cohesiveness” can come to mean “no criticism, no non-professionals and no troublemaking nitpicking dissenters.” The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.
Thanks for this, Paulie!
First official LPA meeting 3/22 at 8 pm, Thurs. May go to video conferencing.
https://www.facebook.com/SaraDaggers/posts/10210597963576872
https://www.facebook.com/SaraDaggers/posts/10210598007377967
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10210598034338641&set=a.1644063353035.2075376.1580428218&type=3
Sarah did snap a couple of shots of the new EC before rolling out back to Louisiana
https://www.facebook.com/SaraDaggers/posts/10210598530191037
New EC currently meeting in a somewhat informal way. They expressed a preference for some level of privacy as well, so although the room is open for non-EC members I am not blogging the details of the meeting.
Condemnation passes and motion is adopted, if I heard correctly by acclamation.
Kat Morgan, independent for US House 5 around Huntsville/North Alabama addresses body for 5 minutes.
Motion to suspend the rules to consider motion to condemn sheriff of Etowah County (see story linked somewhere above).
Mabrey and Johnson elected
At large nominations:
Zane Johnson
Ollie Rhys
Dillon Mabrey
nota
Region 1 Noah Rhys 4-1 over NOTA
Region 2 Kim Abbott 12-2 over NOTA
Region 3 Ash Jennings 5-0 over NOTA?
Region 4 Anthony Peebles 9-0 over NOTA?
I did not hear those last two clearly.
https://www.facebook.com/SaraDaggers/posts/10210597936136186
Sarah Daggers added 4 new photos.
1 min ·
Region elections for the Libertarian Party of Alabama
Kim Abbott (formerly Rafferty, recently Birmingham City councilwoman) was the only human candidate in Region 2, NOTA always being a candidate in LP elections.
Regions next.
Scott Hammond 30-3 over NOTA
Scott Hammond, treasurer for Madison Co nominated for treasurer of LPA and accepts.
29-1 for Whitfield over NOTA.
Laura Whitfield nominated for and accepts for Secretary.
Ron Bishop 31-1 over NOTA
Ron Bishop nominated and accepts. Ollie Rhys nominated and does not accept.
Lane 23-10 over NOTA
Officer elections. Laura Lane nominated and accepts for chair.
More from Sarah https://www.facebook.com/SaraDaggers/posts/10210597733051109
14 delegates to national fully filled, plus alternates.
Motion to suspend the rules for 10 min to hear from Frank Dillman on I & R passes. Franks asks for resolution of support for I & R. Moved, seconded and passes without objection.
Says corruption by politicians and I & R as well as prison reform and technology related laws are important issues to him. Teen sexting laws as example of the latter. Has skills in social media. No Republican in the race. Devout Christian but very tolerant, personally opposes abortion but believes it should remain legal. Is against death penalty. Would be OK with amnesty for immigration. Gets endorsement. I did not see any no votes.
Pierce Godwin for Alabama House District 77. Montgomery includes most of downtown and historical districts south of downtown Montgomery. Says Alabama is worst or one of the worst in economy, incarceration and education. Lives in a majority minority district, and is surprisingly young (23 or 24).
Elijah Boyd for State House District 10. Army veteran, married 16 years, pro life but not through additional abortion restrictions, does and supports foster and adoptive care, raised conservative, became more libertarian via Ron Paul, Bastiat …opposes occupational licensing. Wants to represent small government ideals in legislature for South Huntsville and South Madison. IT professional. Believes there is a free rider problem with open borders in a welfare state. Opposes death penalty in its current form. Endorsed. I did not see any nos.
Former president of Students for Ron Paul in law school. Now dedicated LP. Opposes death penalty, is pro-life but not interested in challenging current abortion law, was asked about immigration but did not have time to answer. Endorsed. Only nos I saw were Aimee and Vina Love.
Michael Reeves endorsed. I also did not see anyone voting no.
Matt Shelby, District 96. Former Baldwin prosecutor who believes government prosecutions go way overboard. Strongly opposed to civil asset forfeiture abuse and drug war.
Dillman endorsed with no opposition. Next is Michael Reeves for Baldwin County Board of Education District 2. Asked to run by Citizens for Government Accountability.
See also http://frankdillman.com/macon-notes.htm
Frank’s website is http://maconcountycommission.org/
Next, candidates for government offices seeking endorsements by LPA. Written statement on behalf of Frank Dillman by John Sophocleus being read in absentia by Gage Fenwick. Frank is running for Macon County Commissioner District 4.
Post lunch glaze over, I will try to fill in the later bylaws change proposals later.
33 delegates at the convention right now.
Ross Lowe has proposal about conduct of ballot drives. Ross is not here to address questions about his proposal so it is tabled to the next convention.
Motion to bar felons convicted of crimes against property and persons from serving on EC, being candidates or leadership positions of the party except by 2/3 vote. Proposal fails.
Main motion passes after amendments to add approved minutes and unaltered full recordings.
Sarah “Daggers” Stewart and Ron Bishop
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10210597075034659&set=a.1644063353035.2075376.1580428218&type=3
My amendment failed overwhelmingly
I proposed striking upon request
Proposal that EC meetings be recorded and made available to general membership upon request
Passes without objection
first is a proposal to raise EC quorum from 35% to 51%
Redpath calls convention back to order and bylaw change proposals are next.
Hotel will not allow Balko to sell his book in conjecture with his speech. 7 minute break, business will resume at 1:30
A lot more to Balko’s speech which is still going on but I was eating. Now talking about police militarization, both the equipment and the mindset.
Facebook
Angela Fisher Owens, Andrew Helmstetter and Joshua Reed Eakle posted in The Libertarian Party of Tennessee.
Angela Fisher Owens
March 2 at 9:30pm
So….the Illinois convention is a ton of fun. They have set a bar that I know Tennessee can beat!
I might just be overly excited to see all of my favorite people…(you all)
More photos by Sarah
https://www.facebook.com/SaraDaggers/posts/10210596582102336
Photos by Sarah Daggers (Stewart) from LPA convention https://www.facebook.com/SaraDaggers/posts/10210596625823429
Bite mark analysis and other voodoo science leading to many ridiculous convictions ruining lives.
Balko now talking about terrible state of forensics investigations in Mississippi and elsewhere leading to wrongful convictions.
Pickens also offered to bring national attention to this case:
http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2018/02/man_arrested_on_six_charges_fo.html
Man arrested on six charges four days after publicly criticizing Etowah County sheriff
Tried to search for it on youtube but the only things I found were other clips with the same name. I did not search long.
Radley Balko is now here and talking about Cory Maye case.
Jay Moran not here, at least yet. Laura Whitfield told me she did not decide whether to run for another term or not, after this came out but a few days ago so she may have decided by now..
It’s on youtube called the Worst Anti Drug Movie Ever.
Radley Balko still MIA. Michael Pickens speaking instead. He is showing a video that he says has got millions of hits and helped legalize Cannabis in Washington State and he is offering to donate it to Alabama so we can do the same thing here.
Also I will be gone by then, I think, but Scott Neighbours mentioned there will be a outing for LP members/supporters to attend a baseball game between Bham and Huntsville on April 7.
Mike C we have crypto meetings in Bham, we have them every week or at least try to. There is also a facebook group where you can find out when and where and keep up with the Bham crypto community in between.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2012208552343641/
Thank you paulie for this. I would have love to come but I’m under financial constraints as well as getting together with a crypto-currency miner. I also, would advocate about the LPA look into accepting bitcoin for donations from out of state.
I also would love to volunteer but can only do so in the Birmingham area / remote. Thanks.a
Now on break. Lunch will be next, and I don’t know if the scheduled speaker (Radley Balko) has been heard from or located yet.
Awards committee. Laura Lane recognizes Shane Taylor and Pascal Brujin (sp?), I missed for what, and they got state party life memberships. Laura Whitfield thanks Leigh LaChine for coming back and filling in as state chair again when Josh Tuttle resigned and says he took a lot of undeserved abuse. LaChine gets standing ovation.
No social media report, Laura Lane presented Legislative committee report and thanked Kim Rafferty (Abbott) former member of Birmingham City Council for help with that. Laura Lane also presenting Convention committee report. Convention was on track for 80 attendees then someone from out of state made an issue about Kokesh being speaker (later withdrew) and didn’t let it go, then big drama about me (paulie) so a lot of people backed out. Vendors did not show up. Maybe 20-30 people actually here. Convention funding about even with 3000-something both raised and spent. Some yet waiting for final report from the casino. Costs of speakers covered by a donor.
Anthony Peebles, At Large – member of the tribe that owns this casino, thanks us for coming here. Says Lobby Day a couple of weeks ago was a good learning experience. Thanks Frank Dillman for helping with Lobby Day and Laura Lane with the convention and region.
The other at large rep, long time member Jim Albea, is not here.
Region 2 rep not here. Region 3, Gage Fenwick includes Montgomery and Auburn. no active counties in region 3. Looking for help in forming some. Gage is a senior in economics at Auburn University and mentioned working with FIRE and YAL to improve AU to a green (good) free speech rating from FIRE, one of 38 green rated universities in the US and the only one in Alabama. Spoke on behalf of Ron Bishop at AU during the campaign. Saw improved vote results from that for Lee County.
Region 4, South Alabama – Matt Shelby District 96, collected over 400 signatures in 2 days with over 300 validated, plus one other – Michael Reeves for Baldwin County Board of Education. Waiting on probate judge to let us know how many signatures needed. Missed name but something like Citizens for Government Accountability working with LPA Baldwin on that. Some other counties have chairs or temporary chairs.
Noah Rhys for Northern Alabama, Vice Chair Elijah Boyd, Treasurer Scott Hammond and Treasurer Alan Barksdale who is a long time member. Elijah Boyd running for State House. Katherine Morgan running as independent against Mo Brooks for congress. Participating in various parades, street fairs, pridefest etc; supported legislative bills on civil asset forfeiture and marijuana decriminalization working with Southern Poverty Law Center. Jay Moran and several others working on starting a new affiliate up in several counties of Northern Alabama as well. Madison County also has separate business and social meetings every month. Stresses collaboration with organizations with which we agree on some things but not others such as SPLC.
Consolidating bank accounts. National membership/delegate count went up. Ron Bishop campaign was a good learning experience. Put together media contact list. Region Reports are next starting with Noah Rhys – Region 1 around Huntsville. Before that Treasurers report presented without the Treasurer here. Bank account and three separate paypal accounts add up to $21,236.82
Two of the paypals are set up as personal accounts, one by Mark Bodenhausen, RIP and one by Joshua Tuttle, the chair elected last year who resigned after a few months. Paypal #3 is set up correctly as a business account which allows transfer of officers.
Secretary’s report, Laura Whitfield. She replaced the Secretary elected at the last state convention about 6 months ago. Database is a mess. Original chair and vice chair elected last year also resigned, as did their replacements. Working hard to sort out the database mess.
The first four items are officer reports from the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. The Chair and Vice Chair have resigned and not been replaced, and the Treasurer is not here for personal reasons (roommate broke arm and needs help at home). Secretary is the only one here. Bill Redpath is the presiding officer of the convention, which has now been called to order.
Taking a short break, then officer reports. Lunch speaker Radley Balko did not check into hotel last night, is supposed to be driving down from Nashville and has not been heard from, not answering his phone according to convention organizer Laura Lane.
Redpath: Word libertarian is a lot better understood than 25 years ago and LP has played a huge role in that. A lot of people used to think we are LaRouchies.
If anyone else here at the Alabama convention wants to help with the liveblogging, as well as as mentioned in the article above anyone at any of the other state LP conventions this weekend, please do so.
And of course IRV/RCV
Bill Redpath is using his speech to plug FairVote and proportional representation.