Here is what Michigan Chair Mike Saliba told his Libertarian supporters:

Michigan Libertarians – Official Communication From Your Elected Board

11/26/2024

Dear Michigan Libertarians and Supporters of the Saliba Board,

I am writing to update you on a significant development regarding the ongoing legal battle between the Michigan Libertarians and the Libertarian National Committee (LNC). Last week, District Judge Judith Levy signed a Stipulated Order of Judgment in the case Saliba et al. vs. Libertarian National Committee, effectively ending the federal trademark lawsuit against the Michigan Eight co-defendants. While this might appear to be a victory for the LNC, I want to take a moment to explain why we view this as a strategic win, and why the fight for control of the Michigan Libertarian Party (LPM) is far from over.

Why We Settled

In negotiating the settlement, we considered the realities of our situation. The mounting legal costs coupled with the fact that the LNC’s appointed board under Andrew Chadderdon will hold a state convention in 2025 would render this lawsuit moot in the near future. The LNC also recognized the futility of continuing this legal challenge. While this decision may seem like a loss to some, it was the pragmatic choice. We avoided incurring further damages or legal costs, and we secured an agreement where the eight of us owe no damages to the national party. Thanks to pro bono legal support from the University of Illinois First Amendment Clinic, our legal expenses remained modest, while the LNC, according to Chadderdon himself, has spent an astonishing $100,000 on this case.

The Outcome of the Federal Case and the State-Level Dispute

It is critical to understand that the federal lawsuit could never have resolved the core issue—the true leadership of the Michigan Libertarian Party. Even if we had won the case, there was no possible outcome that would have ended the dispute at the state level by naming either Mike Saliba or Andrew Chadderdon as the rightful state chair. The battle over control of the LPM remains a matter for Michigan, and we are determined to see it through. We believe that the only way to restore the party to its true libertarian roots is through a united effort at the state convention in 2025. There’s been a great deal of misinformation circulating regarding these facts. To sum it all up, remember these points:

• The lawsuit in federal court was never intended to decide the leadership of the LPM, to decide the fate of the treasury, or to make any kind of ruling regarding the following the bylaws or RONR
• The lawsuit in federal court was only ever going to specifically decide if the Lanham Act granted the LNC the right to prohibit the Michigan 8 from using the word “Libertarian” in the conjunction with the word “Party” due to a trademark owned by the national party
• The lawsuit was brought by the LNC with the goal of punishing the Michigan 8 by preventing the use the word “Libertarian” in the conjunction with the word “Party”, preventing fundraising and mass communication with you, and charging us with damages
• The LNC did not “win” the lawsuit and we did not “lose” the lawsuit, nor have the other court cases been settled. We are back to mass communication, we are back to fundraising, we may use the words Libertarian Party outside of commerce, and we are not paying any damages to the  LNC.

Continuing the Fight at the State Level

While the federal trademark case has ended, the unrelated lawsuit in Cheboygan against Chadderdon and his board continues. This case, concerning the invalidation of the results of the March 9th state convention in Flint, will play a pivotal role in determining the future of the LPM and its leadership. We are fully committed to holding Chadderdon and the LNC-appointed board accountable for their actions.  This includes limiting Chadderdon and the LNC in their ability to gain further control of LPM assets, the treasury, and diverting them from the plan to continue to devolve the LP into a wholly owned subsidiary of Trump, MAGA, and the Republican Party.

In addition to these legal battles, it has become abundantly clear that the leadership of the Mises Caucus, figures like Andrew Chadderdon and Angela McArdle, have shown their true colors through their disturbing support of Donald Trump during the general election. This move has laid bare the nature of their faction—more interested in aligning with establishment politics than in advancing the cause of liberty, even if it is not the goal of many of the boots on the ground members and supporters of their caucus. Their willingness to back a figure like Trump, who represents the antithesis of our values, has only strengthened our resolve to reclaim the party and restore it to the hands of true libertarians.

We know you did not join the Libertarian Party to support duopoly statists like Donald Trump. If we do not continue our fight to take back the LP, people like Angela McArdle and Andrew Chadderdon will continue to reduce us from the third largest and fastest growing political party in the country to a GOP booster club completely lacking the principles our party was proudly founded on.

What’s Next?

As we look ahead to 2025, it’s important that we remain united and focused on the task at hand. We will be holding an informal membership meeting on Saturday, December 7 at noon on Zoom to discuss the decisions behind the settlement of the trademark case and how we can work together to take back the party in 2025. Your continued support is vital to our efforts.

While our legal bills are minimal compared to the LNC’s, we still have outstanding costs to cover. If you are able to make a contribution to our legal fund, we would greatly appreciate it. Please include “Michigan Libertarians” in the subject line when donating. Will you please donate to our fight today?  

Peace and liberty,

Mike Saliba
Chair
Michigan Libertarians

P.S. Please mark your calendars for the December 7th meeting and keep supporting our efforts to bring true libertarian leadership back to Michigan!