The Libertarian National Committee will convene remotely this week for a special meeting to decide whether to censure Region 1 Alternate Austin Martin following a series of online remarks that some members say veered into concerning rhetoric. This is the second such motion against Martin in recent weeks.
The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 1, at 7:30 PM ET and will be conducted through Zoom. Advance registration is required at least one hour beforehand, with details available on the national party’s website. The only expected item of business is consideration of Martin’s censure.
The motion was introduced on September 26 by At-Large Representative Sam Bohler, who said he was reluctant to pursue disciplinary action but felt compelled after reviewing Martin’s recent public statements. Bohler argued that Martin’s repeated use of the phrase “remove…by force and with extreme prejudice” carried violent connotations and created a hostile environment for fellow committee members.
Bohler’s motion further cites follow-up comments in which Martin accused other Libertarian members and officials of being “socialist infiltrators” and “subversives.” It also references an alleged “partial” endorsement in a chain of posts suggesting that lethal force against communists could be ethically justified, which Bohler said undermined any claim that Martin’s language was merely rhetorical.
It concludes that Martin’s conduct violates the LNC Policy Manual’s rules against harassment and offensive conduct, conflicts with the Libertarian Party’s Statement of Principles opposing the initiation of force, and exposes the committee to risk of “legal, reputational, donor, and volunteer harm.” The motion would require a simple majority for adoption.
The proposed censure follows a heated exchange beginning September 21 on one of the LNC’s email lists, which Bohler included as a forward along with the text of his motion. In that thread, LNC Chair Steven Nekhaila pressed Martin to clarify the initial remarks he made on X about removing “all socialist infiltrators from the LP by force and with extreme prejudice.”
That led to a tense back-and-fourth between Martin and Nekhaila over several days. Martin defended his language as metaphorical, while Nekhaila pushed back, saying the tone and implications were “cause for concern,” especially given the recent timing of the shooting of Charlie Kirk. Nekhaila also noted that members had raised concerns with him about threats of violence and reputational harm, warning Martin that “your words have weight, start acting like it.”
At one point, Nekhaila asked Martin directly, “Do you view me as a socialist [sympathizer] and believe I should be removed by force?” Martin responded, “As it sits now, yes.”
“You and your little cadre are some of the biggest adversaries of LP principles, even openly claiming they do not bind the LNC,” Martin continued. “You have openly embraced fraud and deception. That kind of subversive behavior is something I associate with saboteurs and socialists, and I do think deserves swift removal. It’s never too late to change direction, though.”
The two continued to respond directly to each other before additional members began joining. In the the final post of the included thread, Martin echoed Argentine President Javier Milei, warning against giving leftists “shit,” and adding, “Let’s take Mr. Milei’s advice and refuse to give shit leftists an inch in the LP.”
This is the second such motion against Martin since he joined the Libertarian National Committee as an Alternate. In late August, Nekhaila introduced a resolution after Martin publicly criticized the Special Investigatory Committee’s report into former LNC Chair Angela McArdle as “straight up fraud” and accused its members of “collusion” and “deception.” That earlier motion failed on a 2–6 vote, with six members abstaining, as did a separate motion introduced by Martin to censure Nekhaila.
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