Editor’s note: There are two groups claiming to be the Libertarian Party in scenic Michigan, where your Editor once lived. To distinguish them, the author of the post adopted the following terminology:
* For the sake of brevity, the terms “Elected Chair” and “Elected LEC” will respectively mean the state Chair elected at the July 9th 2022 Convention of the Libertarian Party of Michigan, and the Libertarian Executive Committee formed as a result of vacancies filled at that convention. It will also apply to offices filled by caucuses or elected officers from July 9th up to December 19th, and District Representatives filling vacancies on the elected LEC after January 30th 2023.
** For the sake of brevity, the terms “Installed Chair” and “Installed LEC” will respectively mean the state Chair and Libertarian Executive Committee installed by the LPM Judicial Committee on December 19th as an action they justified in their ruling on an appeal filled by Wayne County affiliate Chair Andrew Chadderdon.
Michigan – On February 15th Republican activist attorney Eric Doster emailed a letter to board members of the Libertarian Party of Michigan Executive Committee Inc. (LPM) that had the heading,
Demand by Libertarian Party of Michigan (LPM) for Return of all Property Belonging to
LPM; Cease and Desist Demand by LPM to Immediately Terminate any Further Misrepresentation
as Having any Authority to Govern the Affairs of LPM.
The letter asked elected LPM Chair Person Joseph Brungardt to return property of the LPM to the LPM, but members of the Elected LEC* made no such demands. Since the mailing of the Letter Joseph Brungardt has stepped down from his Chairmanship duties, but elected first Vice Chair, Mike Saliba, is performing the duties of Chair as is required by LPM bylaws in absence of the Chair.
Eric Doster vs. LPM or Eric Doster Representing the LPM
When asked if the LPM has asked Eric Doster to request assets from the Chair, send a cease-and-desist letter, or hired him since he and Brungardt were elected to those positions acting LEC Chair (Elected First Chair) Mike Saliba responded,
The last time the LEC voted on hiring Mr. Doster to do anything was prior to the July convention. As far as can tell, Andrew’s private club has not voted on it either.
In the meeting Saliba referred to, the undisputed [i.e., pre-state-convention] LEC consulted with Doster to be sure it would be safe to fill officer vacancies. At that meeting Doster insisted that the outcome of the convention would be “unassailable” and that there would be “no higher authority than the convention.”
Doster Gives Lawyerly Response to Probing Questions
The author also contacted Installed Chair** Andrew Chadderdon, and Eric Doster with similar questions. The only response was this statement from Doster (who included Chadderdon on the CC line):
In accordance with the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct, my response to your inquiry shall be limited and brief.
With respect to my representation of the Libertarian Party of Michigan (LPM), my sincerest hope is that all members of the LPM can work together to achieve the LPM’s goals of freedom, liberty and personal responsibility. I simply wish you and any responsible member of LPM all the best to achieve these worthy goals.
There is nothing more I can say or should be said.
Client Selection and Corporate Corrections
One thing that might clear up who is a member of the Board of the Libertarian Party of Michigan Executive Committee, Inc. would be to look at the list published by Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). However, before sending the letter, Doster filled paperwork to change the membership listing of said board. In short he changed the published board membership to differ from the elected LEC, then told the members of the elected LEC (whom he demoted on paper) to stop claiming they were on the LEC. He also filed documents identifying himself as agent.
When the Elected LEC filled a “Certificate of Correction” Doster filled more paperwork to revert the change. Readers may wonder who is paying Doster to do this. They also may also inquire as to who he actually represents. Part of the answer is that the list of names, he filled, corresponded to the Installed LEC.
Discord Via Zoom: Doster Given $6.6 Grand Promise
The Installed LEC had a meeting (via Zoom) on Sunday February 26th, 2023. Its primary purpose was to remove Installed LEC members who participated with the Elected LEC, and openly disagreed with the installed Chair. However, they declared it to be a “regular” meeting and they had other business to cover. One agenda item was paying Attorney Eric Doster Esq. for his services. They voted to pay $6,600 of LPM funds to Mr. Doster for services that included composing the cease-and-desist letter, as well as the LARA filings. They did this while the Elected LEC maintained control of the LPM bank account.
Author’s note: Stay Tuned for Michigan’s February Surprises!
It all started because Mises got elected at national and certain members of the Party gene it was in their best interest professionally to disassociate from any group that had been accused of being racist.
So sad that the party of principles has fragmented into the party of personalities.
It’s important to remember this all started simply because the members wanted to vote for their leadership, something that Andrew aggressively fought (and still fights) at every step of the way. That’s why he was voted out of office by a 2/3rds majority at convention.
The group that received the Cease and Desist, including the author here, is impersonating the Libertarian Party of Michigan Executive Committee. The duly elected LPM Chair, per the LPM bylaws, is Andrew Chadderdon.