Grammar error corrected, and update: First, LAMA did it, so active voice, so ‘Disaffiliates’, not ‘Disaffiliated’, in title. Second, both MA Libertarian groups have recently redone their web pages, so that, e.g., the disaffiliation statement is immediately visible if one reads the front page news column at LPMASS.org. (Other group owns LPofMA.org.)
Kudos to Jordan Willow Evans for finding this story. Note that I am a LAMA member, and first learned about this from reading IPR. The original was on the LPMASS.org web site, if one looked in the right place. However, back in June:
LAMA State Committee Resolution to Disaffiliate
The LAMA state committee unanimously passed the following resolution to disaffiliate from the Libertarian National Committee on June 5, 2022:
Whereas the Libertarian National Committee (LNC) is a private, not-for-profit organization having control and management of all the affairs, properties and funds of the National Libertarian Party consistent with its Bylaws;
Whereas the Libertarian Association of Massachusetts (LAMA) is a private, not-for-profit organization having control and management of all the affairs, properties and funds of the Massachusetts Libertarian Party consistent with its Constitution and Bylaws;
Whereas the LNC and LAMA have for many decades enjoyed a productive and mutually-beneficial affiliation pursuant to the governing documents of both organizations;
Whereas the LNC is required to determine the Officers of its affiliates, including LAMA, to permit enforcement of its own Bylaws;
Whereas on April 23, 2022, at its Annual State Convention, LAMA duly elected a State Committee and chose new Officers pursuant to its Constitution and Bylaws;
Whereas on April 24, 2022, a group of expelled LAMA members purported to elect a State Committee and new Officers of LAMA using procedures that did not comply with the LAMA Constitution and Bylaws;
Whereas the State Committee of LAMA subsequently communicated in writing, to both the LNC and its Judicial Committee, its condemnation of the illegal and fraudulent nature of this purported election, and the failure of its organizers and attendees to comply with the LAMA Constitution and Bylaws, providing ample evidence supporting the same;
Whereas on June 5, 2022, the LNC nevertheless voted to recognize, for purposes of enforcing its own Bylaws, the Officers named by the group of expelled LAMA members;
Whereas the State Committee of LAMA views the outcome of this vote as the LNC repudiating its desire to continue its productive and mutually-beneficial relationship with LAMA; and
Whereas the State Committee of LAMA believes that the LNC reached this result deliberately, in view of all of the evidence presented, demonstrating that it is unlikely to be reversed, and therefore that the relationship between the parties cannot be salvaged; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, that the Libertarian Association of Massachusetts (LAMA):
- declares that it no longer should be, and is not, affiliated with the Libertarian National Committee (LNC);
- shall treat the strictures of the LNC Bylaws as being inapplicable to its operation as a private organization recognized under state and federal law, and shall not be bound by all or any of those Bylaws or any actions of the LNC or any other committee or body taken pursuant thereto;
- shall continue to pursue the aims in its Constitution, namely to give voice to and implement the fundamental principles of libertarianism, by supporting candidates for public office, publicizing the principles and goals of libertarianism, and taking any actions that further these aims; and
- shall deliver a copy of this Resolution to the chair of the LNC as soon as practicable after its adoption.
It’s a shame to see the LP breaking up slowly over time. You can blame it on the Mises caucus I suppose. I think it has to do with the lack of equal representation within the LNC. There should be a chosen representative from each caucus within LNC to democratically vote on any changes in the constitution of LNC
The LNC special meeting last night included the confirmation that the LNC had received the disaffiliation notice, even though there was no general mention of disaffiliation to LAMA members (it was on their web site if you knew where to look). LAMA supporters have five candidates on the MA November election ballot. ULM supporters apparently put no candidates on the ballot.
Again?
This has what to do with getting LP fans into public office?
Sounds like the LNC had effectively already disaffiliated LAMA first.
A lesson NM learned but some states have not: disaffiliate *before* the LNC spins up its own fake Mises-controlled state party and “recognizes” it.
Still, good for LAMA.
There are now two Massachusetts libertarian groups.
The LAMA web page is LPMASS.org.
The LNC-affiliated Unified Libertarians of Massachusetts group is lpofma.org