The Libertarian Party of New Mexico has rejected the ultimatum from the Libertarian National Committee. In a letter to the LNC dated August 17, the Libertarian Party of New Mexico wrote
“On August 9th, the Libertarian Party of New Mexico received a letter from the Libertarian National Committee Chair regarding our LPNM’s July 12th Constitutional Convention.
“Below is our letter in response.
“17 August 2022
“To the Libertarian National Committee,
“In response to the letter from the Libertarian National Committee Chair, dated Aug 9, 2022: This notice is to inform Libertarian National Committee, Inc that the Libertarian Party of New Mexico is an independent organization and state political party operating as an entity in the State of New Mexico. The Libertarian Party of New Mexico does not recognize any actions, directives, orders, commands, rulings, or any other interference with the internal operations of the Libertarian Party of New Mexico by the Libertarian National Committee or any of its affiliated committees.
“The Libertarian Party of New Mexico is asserting legal associational rights in executing the operations of the Libertarian Party of New Mexico under the direction of Libertarian Party of New Mexico leadership and the bylaws of our private organization.
“Any actions taken by the Libertarian National Committee that interfere with the autonomy and the independence of the Libertarian Party of New Mexico are not recognized and are not legitimate.
“By attempting to interfere with the operations of the Libertarian Party of New Mexico, the Libertarian National Committee has violated its own bylaws, Article 5, Section 5:
“The autonomy of the affiliate and sub-affiliate parties shall not be abridged by the National Committee or any other committee of the Party, except as provided by these bylaws.
“In addition to illegitimately attempting to directing the affairs of the LPNM, the LNC Chair’s letter contains a number of misstatements of fact, that have been addressed at http://lpnm.us/LNC
“The Libertarian Party of New Mexico demands that the Libertarian National Committee rescind the letter from LNC Chair, and the motion it was based on, within 10 days of the receipt of this letter.
(signed) Chris Luchini
Chair
Libertarian Party of New Mexico
The New Mexico letter is in response to a letter from Libertarian National Committee Chair Angela McArdle to the Libertarian Party of New Mexico. That letter in part said
“On July 31, 2022, the LNC met in person and passed a motion containing the following conclusions:
“• The Constitutional Convention held on July 12, 2022, was null and void
“• The LNC recognizes the official Constitution and Bylaws of the LPNM as those adopted March 27, 2021.
“The LNC is required to maintain a list of current state affiliate bylaws, per article 2.5. The LNC requests your acknowledgment that the governing documents adopted on March 27, 2021, are the operative Constitution and Bylaws by August 31, 2022, or the LNC may need to consider other options in order to protect our branding and preserve the rights of aggrieved members of the LPNM. If an impediment to sending such an official acknowledgment by that date exists, please let us know what that impediment is and by what date this will be done.
Hat tip to Jordan Evans for discovering the LPNM letter and covering it on Independent Political Report.
Third Party Watch has learned that the Libertarian Party of New Mexico has disaffiliated from the Libertarian National Committee, moved its web site from the LNC to its own server, and before disaffiliating stopped using the LNC CRM arrangement.
They no longer have the option of meddling in the affairs of the New Mexico affiliate, because there is no longer any New Mexico affiliate. LPNM disaffiliated from the LNC.
I guess the LPNM has called the bluff of the LNC!
I guess we’ll see if the LNC/Mises Caucus is really intent on damaging the LP brand by meddling in the affairs of state affiliates where they clearly have no jurisdiction.