The Libertarian Party of Florida’s Rules Committee rescinded a recently announced agreement between the Libertarian Party of Florida and the Kennedy Victory Fund after finding the party chair failed to obtain proper authorization from the party’s Executive Committee.
According to a report from a meeting of the Libertarian Party of Florida’s Rules Committee obtained by Independent Political Report over the weekend, the agreement was executed by LPF Chair Joshua Hlavka without prior approval from the LPF’s Executive Committee, violating the party’s governing documents. It additionally included commitments not permitted under current party rules. As a result, the Rules Committee determined Hlavka’s signature to be invalid and the agreement void due to this lack of authorization.
The Rules Committee also identified multiple violations by Hlavka, including entering into a campaign agreement without proper approval and engaging in an agreement with a campaign that does not represent the official Libertarian Party ticket. These actions were found to violate specific rules regarding the authorization of campaign agreements and the endorsement of candidates.
The Committee further emphasized that in the event the party wants to reaffirm the agreement, it must change the contract or suspend party rules prior to approving a new agreement or else it risks exposing itself to legal challenges from party membership. Readers can view both pages of the report below:
The Rules Committee’s report concluded that Hlavka’s actions warrant disciplinary measures under Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised and the party’s standing rules. Since Hlavka’s actions were done openly in view of party membership, the Rules Committee stated that no additional investigation is necessary, and the Executive Committee may proceed with disciplinary action without requiring a separate hearing.
Earlier this month, it was announced that the Kennedy Victory Fund, originally a collaboration between the Kennedy campaign, the Libertarian National Committee, and the Reform Party of Florida, had expanded to include the American Independent Party of California and the Libertarian Party affiliates in Florida and Colorado. As a result of the new partners, the maximum donation limit to the fund increased to $77,900 per individual.
However, shortly after the agreement was made public, Libertarian Party of Florida Vice Chair Matt Johnson stated via X that the agreement had not been presented to the party’s Executive Committee for a vote. Independent Political Report initially reached out to the Libertarian Party of Florida following Johnson’s comments for clarification; however, no response was received. Johnson later informed IPR over social media that the contract appeared to bear an electronic signature of Hlavka’s name.
Sure.
The action that was taken was to rescind the agreement. Their parliamentary authority states that a motion to rescind, “Can be applied to anything (e.g., bylaw, rule, policy, decision, or choice) which has continuing force and effect and which was made or created at any time or times as the result of the adoption of one or more main motions (RONR, 12th ed. 35: 2 (2)).” To rescind it, they had to say, in effect, that it was properly in force at some point. This was brought up in debate, and seems to have raised prior to that.
Interestingly, a member indicated that would offer an amendment to reword the motion to state that the original action was void, but never did.
Hmmmm… if the LPF had a backbone, it would remove the guy as Chair. What he did is technically fraud, and given the LPF track record on financial matters, it should take a stand a remove the Chair
Hi, J.M., could you speak further on that? On the second page of the report that the article discusses, the Committee wrote, “Joshua Hlavka, Chair of the Libertarian Party of Florida has violated LPF Rules VII 2 by entering into a campaign agreement without the prior approval of the LPF EC. The signature on the agreement is invalid, the agreement is void.”
Has there been additional information released since then?
That is incorrect. The agreement was rescinded, not declared void.
Procedurally, this meant that the LPF determined that the had a contract, but ended it.
I am glad the Rules Committee of the Florida Libertarian Party is enforcing the rules.
Yawn. If the LPF rules committee is so hellbent on committing financial and political suicide, just let them. Of every state where nobody would notice any difference without an LP, Florida is the foremost due to its GOP becoming virtually indistinguishable from the LINOs.
Guess this is all Brainworm Bobby’s way of keeping in the news since people have been wondering where his campaign is recently.
As founder of the LPF–oops.
I like the idea, but there’re other ways not involving LPF I think.