Manhattan Libertarian Party Formally Invites Dr. Tom Stevens To Re-Join

On March 8, 2013, Janet Hopf, Manhattan Libertarian Party Chair, sent Dr. Tom Stevens an e-mail, the text of which was the following:

The Manhattan LP committee has voted to officially invite you to re-join our chapter. Please share this email with any interested parties I left off the list.

We look forward to seeing you at our regular meetings and to working together toward restoring our rights and defending freedom in New York.

Dr. Tom Stevens first joined the Manhattan Libertarian Party (MLP) on January 10, 2004. At the MLP Annual Convention held that same date, Dr. Stevens was elected the Manhattan Libertarian Party's State Representative to the Libertarian Party of New York with 52.4% of the vote, beating out Craig Milem (33.3%) and Sam Sloan (14.3%). On January 8, 2005, the delegates in attendance at the MLP Annual Convention re-elected Dr. Tom Stevens as the MLP's State Representative, said action that was unanimously re-affirmed by the MLP Executive Committee immediately after the business session. On January 21, 2006, Dr. Stevens declined a nomination for a third term in office and urged the delegates to support Mark Axinn, who was elected to the position. Mark Axinn currently serves as State Chair of the New York Libertarian Party. On Monday, December 11, 2006, Mark Axinn resigned as MLP State Representative and the Executive Committee selected Dr. Tom Stevens to fill out the remainder of his term of office. On January 20, 2007, the delegates in attendance at the MLP Annual Convention again elected Dr. Tom Stevens as MLP State Representative in a contested race against Jak Karako. Dr. Stevens resigned as MLP State Representative on May 14, 2007.

Because of issues and infighting on a statewide level leading up to and after the April 24, 2010 Annual Convention of the New York Libertarian Party (unrelated to the Manhattan Libertarian Party), Dr. Stevens offered to resign his Manhattan Libertarian Party membership, which was accepted on August 16, 2010. Subsequent to that date, many members of the Libertarian Party of Queens County ceased their active involvement in the Manhattan Libertarian Party, stopped attending meetings and either resigned their own memberships in the Manhattan Libertarian Party or did not renew.

Dallwyn Merck, Secretary of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, says:

An undeclared state of war existed between the Manhattan Libertarian Party and the Queens Libertarian Party over this issue. Dr. Tom Stevens served in leadership positions in the Manhattan LP with distinction during all his years of involvement. To accept his resignation for issues completely unrelated to either of our chapters was a slap in the face to Dr. Stevens. To restore friendly and peaceful relations, the Queens LP demanded both a formal apology and an official invitation to Dr. Tom Stevens to re-join the Manhattan Libertarian Party.

After Janet Hopf, Manhattan Libertarian Party Chair, invited Sam Sloan to rejoin the Manhattan Libertarian Party and accepted an invitation to speak to the Queens Libertarian Party on February 9, 2013, Dr. Stevens told the LPQC Executive Committee that the time was right to re-establish good relations with the Manhattan Libertarian Party. In the interests of peace, Dr. Stevens indicated his willingness to forego a formal apology so long as the Executive Committee of the Manhattan Libertarian Party officially invited him to rejoin. Such a vote took place and Dr. Stevens was notified of the Executive Committee action on March 8, 2013. Many Queens LP members have now indicated they too will rejoin the Manhattan LP.    

On March 9, 2013, Dr. Tom Stevens paid $20.00 in dues to the Manhattan Libertarian Party and formally had his membership restored. His current membership expires on December 31, 2013.