The Libertarian National Committee is voting on whether to endorse Rage Against the War Machine, an anti-war rally scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C. later this month. Despite taking action now, the party has been listed on the event website for at least two weeks prior to the vote.
Rage Against the War Machine is a joint anti-war coalition first announced in 2023 between the Libertarian Party and the People’s Party. Its inaugural rally was held outside the Lincoln Memorial that February, focusing on issues such as the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, abolishing the CIA, and disbanding NATO.
Last month, the coalition announced its second rally, scheduled for September 28 at the Washington Monument. The coalition’s website also now reflects similar demands as those outlined during the first rally.
The rally coincides with another event, Rescue the Republic, which is scheduled for the following day and will cover a broader range of topics with different speakers. It’s worth noting that the Rescue the Republic website also includes information about Rage Against the War Machine and otherwise indicates that it’s part of a larger collaborative focus.
On Friday, LNC at-large member Andrew Watkins introduced a motion for the LNC to formally endorse the 2024 Rage Against the War Machine rally. The motion gathered enough co-sponsors to proceed to a vote, which is now underway. LNC Secretary Caryn Ann Harlos has also since pointed out that the Libertarian Party is already listed as an organizing member of the coalition, with its name and logo displayed on the event’s website.
Harlos has raised questions on the LNC’s public business list, seeking clarification about the rally, including whether any party members will receive compensation for their involvement, what resources would be required for an endorsement, and why the party’s logo was included before a formal vote. While many of her questions remain unanswered, LNC Chair Angela McArdle confirmed that she is not receiving a salary for her participation.
Previous research by Independent Political Report indicates that the Libertarian Party has been listed as a coalition organizer since at least August 22, several days after the second rally was announced. At that time, the Rage Against the War Machine website listed eight sponsoring organizations, including the Libertarian Party and the People’s Party. The site also provided basic event details, including the upcoming rally’s date, location, and a brief promotional video.
Since then, the website has been updated to include additional information and a ninth sponsoring organization, with the Libertarian Party still listed as a coalition member. As of Monday, six members of the LNC have voted in favor of endorsing the rally, while the remaining members have yet to cast their votes.
Wingnuts. The antivaxxer angle is why Stein has participated in past such events.
Funny they sent out an email promoting this prior to the conclusion of the vote. You’d think it could have waited a day or two. Clearly they don’t care & will continue to do whatever they want regardless of the bylaws, policy manual, FEC Regs, DC Nonprofit Law, IRS Regs, & the list can go on & on.
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