Finally, Dasbach’s memo discussed the National Committee’s payments to Optopia and Liam Works. In April 1998 the National Committee purchased more than 900 copies of “Why Government Doesn’t Work” using Optopia as the vendor. These copies were personally autographed by Harry Browne for use as a premium—a gift that the party sends to donors to thank them for their generosity. Payments to Liam Works between 9/23/98 and 10/11/99 came to nearly $12,000, and paid for approximately 3000 additional copies of Harry Browne’s book “Why Government Doesn’t Work”. Two-thirds of the purchases happened after April 1999, as Browne was preparing to launch his campaign. Browne’s book was used as a premium for people who gave generously to various LNC fund drives; some copies were also sold. Between Liam Works and Optopia, the LNC purchased and distributed almost 4000 copies of Browne’s book.
The price the LNC paid for these books was quite modest. $4 per copy is a good price for a hardback, even on a remainder shelf. Writing of the use of Browne’s book as a premium, Dasbach says that the LNC used it because ‘it was the best book for this purpose that was available for this price. We stopped using it in Fall 1999 because Browne was about to become a declared candidate for the LP’s Presidential Nomination.’ Dasbach notes that in Fall 1999, ‘Why Government Doesn’t Work’ was replaced as a donor premium by several other volumes, none of which were as effective as premiums as Browne’s book had been. In 2001, the LNC resumed the use of Browne’s book as a premium, continuing to distribute it to major donors even after the Willis pay-off was revealed.
In writing his February 19, 2001 memo, Dasbach expressed his displeasure at Hornberger’s approach to ferreting out the truth about the various payments to Willis, Optopia, and other vendors. Hornberger separately responded. It is important to emphasize that their exchange happened before John Famularo published the notorious Willis Invoice to Dean, Spear & Associates. When Dasbach and Hornberger wrote, information available to most Party members indicated unambiguously that in December 1995 Willis had stopped working for the Browne campaign.
Dasbach lamented that ‘Hornberger made no attempt’ to contact the National Party prior to publishing his “Optopia and Liam Works: An Open Letter to the National LP Hierarchy and the Harry Browne Campaign”. Dasbach maintained that if Hornberger had contacted the National Party, ‘he would have discovered that the payments were all reasonable and proper for the products and services provided.’. Dasbach asserted ‘The National Staff is committed to maintaining the highest standards of honesty and integrity. Assertions to the contrary are without merit.’. Dasbach’s assertion, describing the National Staff that reported to Dasbach as National Chair and Party CEO, turned out to be wrong. While Dasbach was National Chair and Party CEO, Dasbach’s own National Director had taken a substantial under-the-table payment from the Browne campaign.
Hornberger, writing in a February 2001 memo “It’s the Browne Campaign’s Turn”, responded that he had previously tried the private-contact approach that Dasbach recommended. “Four years ago,” Hornberger wrote, “…when I learned that Harry Browne had made … payments of money to LP officials, I write Dasbach…requesting an explanation.” According to Hornberger, he, Dasbach, Perry Willis, and Bill Winter had a private meeting (LNC Member Sharon Ayres, says Hornberger, was not present.) On this date, Hornberger asserted, Dasbach, Willis, and Winter all “…assured (Hornberger) that they would never again use LP resources to advance the pre-nomination campaign interests of Harry Browne.” These assurances to Hornberger proved to be incorrect.
In a February 24, 2001 letter to various Libertarians, Bumper Hornberger discussed how the open discussion from Dasbach is positive and beneficial to the Party. Hornberger asked “Don’t the details and the explanations give you a sense that all is proper, at least from the LP end?” Hornberger went on to explain that openness leads to confidence, while secrecy breeds doubt and suspicion, and urged that the former Browne campaign should adopt the same openness policy. Given the Browne Campaign’s silence since May 2001, Browne does not appear to have heeded Hornberger’s advice.
