Stevens Resigns Manhattan Libertarian Party Membership

On August 16, 2010, Dr. Tom Stevens, former four-term State Representative of the Manhattan Libertarian Party, resigned his MLP membership. He did so at the request of Mark Axinn, MLP Secretary, who wrote the following to Dr. Stevens earlier in the day:

Several officers of the MLP are concerned that some of your recent activities are at variance with the objectives of the Manhattan LP. In particular, you have formed organizations and reserved domain names which are substantially similar to those already in use by the State party, perhaps with the intent to confuse and divert potential supporters of the LPNY. You have publicized and perhaps encouraged some or all of Sam Sloan's recent activities, including his filing of fraudulent petitions at the BOE claiming to be the Libertarian Party candidate. Earlier today, you indicated your willingness to resign your membership in the MLP. I believe that may be in both the MLP's and your best interests at this time and therefor request that you do so.

Dr. Stevens responded to these charges as follows:

I did purchase the domain names lpny.org, lpny.net and lpny.info for the Libertarian Patriots of New York organization I formed on May 31, 2010. Those domain names were not in use and I reserved them. On July 4, 2010, I also formed Empire State Libertarians, which is not a Libertarian Party organization. These domain names and organizational names are not "substantially similar to those already in use by the State party" and I did not form them "with the intent to confuse and divert potential supporters" of the State Libertarian Party.

As for Sam Sloan, I advised him not to file suit against the State Party and I was unaware that any petitions were filed on his behalf. In fact, I believe Sam Sloan was unaware his son was going to file those petitions. I did publicize Sam's actions and lawsuits on my blog because I thought it was newsworthy.

None of my actions are "at variance with the objectives of the Manhattan LP." Nevertheless, I did promise to resign if I was asked to do so and since I am a man of my word, I followed through on the resignation when it was requested. I am sad this request was made and I believe it reflects the latest trend in the State Libertarian Party to suspend and seek to expel all critical voices who have tried to make the party a more effective political entity.

Dr. Tom Stevens is the Political Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County and is the Founder of Empire State Libertarians. He served as the elected State Representative for the Manhattan Libertarian Party from January 10, 2004 to January 8, 2005, from January 8, 2005 to January 21, 2006, from December 11, 2006 to January 20, 2007 and from January 20, 2007 to May 14, 2007.