LNC Considers Motion To Apologize To Ron Paul

Rachel Hawkridge is the representative to the Libertarian National Committee from “Region 7”, which includes Florida, Hawaii, and the three states of the northwest corner of the lower 48. (Florida replaced California in that region this year because the old region no longer had enough membership to keep two LNC seats.) On her blog this weekend she posted an LNC motion she made proposing to apologize to Ron Paul for Bob Barr missing Paul’s press conference last week.

There are conflicting reports about whether Barr “committed” to attend as the letter says. The proposed letter repeats Barr’s endorsement of Paul’s 4-point agenda on foreign policy, privacy, national debt, and the Federal Reserve. It also says the LP “shares your goal of encouraging more people to vote for third party candidates”—a goal seemingly at odds with the LP’s Purposes bylaw, which talks about “functioning as a libertarian political entity separate and distinct from all other political parties or movements”. The letter also speaks as if LP Acting Executive Director Robert Kraus “has been reprimanded” for “disparaging” Paul in this LP blog posting, but the continued presence of the posting on LP.org suggests that the letter is proposing a reprimand rather than reporting one.

In subsequent comments on another blog, Hawkridge reported that there was no apparent prospect of her motion passing. The text of the proposed letter is below. I agree with much of the sentiment in the letter, but a public spanking for the Barr campaign is not in the bests interests of the LP. Like most spankings, this one should be delivered behind closed doors.

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The Libertarian National Committee understands that the campaign of Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr has offended you, the Campaign for Liberty, and your many supporters by:

• Failing to attend your press conference at the National Press Club highlighting third party candidates after committing to do so;
• Holding a press conference of its own publicly inviting you to be Barr’s Vice-President candidate (replacing Wayne Allyn Root) in spite of his personal knowledge that you have no interest in the position; and
• Issuing statements through both official and unofficial channels that disparaged you for not endorsing Barr’s candidacy.

Although Former Congressman Bob Barr is the duly nominated presidential candidate of the Libertarian Party selected by delegates to the 2008 Libertarian National Convention, the Libertarian National Committee is deeply embarrassed by the Barr campaign’s behavior and believes it does not reflect well on the Libertarian Party.

The Libertarian National Committee sincerely apologizes to you, the Campaign for Liberty, and your many supporters on behalf of the Libertarian Party and hopes that you, your organization, and your supporters will continue to work together with the Libertarian Party in our common fight for liberty in spite of the regrettable actions of Congressman Barr’s campaign.

The Libertarian National Committee shares your goal of encouraging more people to vote for third party candidates and agrees with your four point statement on Foreign Policy, Privacy, The National Debt, and The Federal Reserve. The Libertarian National Committee respects your decisions to not seek the Libertarian nomination and not endorse an individual presidential candidate. The Libertarian National Committee also salutes the broad coalition of liberty loving Americans you have built through your presidential campaign, the Ron Paul R3VOLution, and the Campaign for Liberty.

Please note that Mr. Barr had no authority to invite you to join the Libertarian Party ticket. Under the Libertarian Party Bylaws, vice-presidential nominee vacancies are filled by the Libertarian National Committee, rather than by the presidential candidate himself. The Libertarian National Committee was not consulted before the offer was extended to you.

In addition, the Libertarian National Committee regrets that Acting Libertarian Party Executive Director Robert Kraus disparaged you in the Libertarian Party blog on www.lp.org. The Libertarian National Committee has reprimanded Mr. Kraus for his actions and is tightening its internal controls on www.lp.org blog content. We offer our sincere apology for the blog remarks of Libertarian Party staff.

The Libertarian National Committee, on behalf of the Libertarian Party, hopes its relationships with you, the Campaign for Liberty, and your many supporters were not irreparably harmed by the actions of the Barr campaign and our staff. The Libertarian National Committee and the Libertarian Party would both like nothing more than to continue to be allies with you in the battle for civil liberties, limited government, and non-intervention.