LNC Meets on New Mexico

July 23, 2022, the Libertarian National Committee held a special meeting to discuss the Libertarian Party of New Mexico’s State Conventions.

Absent from the meeting were LNC members Blankenship, Elliott, Nekhaila, Eiler, Ford, Gabbard, and Nanna. Region 8 was not represented. You can watch it at https://youtu.be/HyLhxGOfW6M

A variety of complaints were heard, including complaints about the Libertarian Party of New Mexico (LPNM) State Convention. There were issues raised related to the LPNM Constitution, Bylaws, and national bylaws. No member of the LPNM Executive Committee appeared at the LNC meeting.

One LPNM member complained that the LPNM Board was trying to raise dues and membership requirements. The LPNM Board was said to enforce a requirement that people paying monthly dues did not get a convention vote until they had paid a full year’s worth of dues. The complaint was made that LPNM board members were always up to date on paying their dues.

National Secretary Harlos claimed that the January and March LPNM state conventions violated the LPNM bylaws. There was apparently an LPNM special convention in July. Some members appear not to have had a clear idea as to how the LPNM dues rule works. The National Secretary claimed that the LNC can decide what the valid Bylaws of the Libertarian Party of New Mexico are, and advocated for a particular choice. National Party Parliamentarian Richard Brown claimed that the LNC could determine who the valid LPNM officers are, but proposed that electronic conventions are invalid.

The LNC vigorously discussed which of this year’s LPNM state conventions (there were perhaps three of them) were valid.

It was asked what the LNC proposes to do other than send a strong letter. In response, Harlos noted that an LPNM Bylaws change would allow the LPNM Board to disaffiliate the state party from the national.

LNC member Tuniewicz noted that LPNM State Chair Luchini, in his observations, conducts meetings well. A letter to LPNM would be out of order. Interfering with an inter-affiliate dispute is a bridge too far.

LNC Member Pantke argued that we do not have the authority to tell the LPNM what their bylaws are. We should decide how in the future we deal with these issues.

Secretary Harlos claimed that it is the business of the LNC to decide what the state bylaws are and who the state officers are.

Mr. Blessing reported that the tech part of the LPNM state convention did not work well. There was some confusion in NM, he asserted, as to the date by which you had to pay your dues in order to be able to vote at a state convention.

McArdle: It is worthwhile for us to discuss this issue.

Bowen: We have a right to determine whether or not a state party’s constitution and bylaws are valid because we require that the constitution and bylaws be submitted to us.

Hagopian: I believe we have no standing to challenge their bylaws. We can threaten disaffiliation if LPNM does not agree that their last two conventions are invalid.

Harlos: Do not threaten disaffiliation if you do not have the votes. I am against disaffiliation.

Tuniewicz: Filing of Bylaws should be viewed as an administrative process only, not something we get to review.

The meeting continued in the same vein.

The LNC will now have a motion for its next meeting reading roughly: Move that the Libertarian Party of New Mexico (LPNM) be informed in writing that the Libertarian National Committee has found that the Constitutional Convention held on July 12, 2022, was null and void and recognizes the LPNM’s official Constitution and Bylaws as those adopted March 27, 2021. The exact form and content of the letter shall be drafted by the Chair or her designee with approval by the Executive Committee.