The Executive Committee of the Libertarian Party of Queens County (LPQC), the largest and most active chapter chartered by the New York Libertarian Party, voted on December 29, 2011 to endorse Gary Johnson for the Libertarian Party's Presidential Nomination thus becoming the first Libertarian Party organization in New York State to get on board in support of his campaign. This endorsement is particularly significant since the Libertarian Party of Queens County is the home base of Carl Person, who is also seeking the Presidential Nomination of the Libertarian Party in 2012.
John Clifton, LPQC Chair, made this statement regarding the endorsement:
Queens Libertarians lament the savage media suppression of Governor Johnson from Republican Presidential primary coverage, and his exclusion from most of the debates. That they would treat such a credible figure who recently held a senior elected office in such a way is a saddening reminder of how alternative candidates and parties are structurally suppressed in this country. This fate clearly could have also befallen Ron Paul, had he not established a broad grassroots base of support beforehand. Johnson displays a generally excellent libertarian grasp of the issues and commitment to them. The LPQC applauds his decision to seek the LP nomination for President, and encourages him to pursue it by our endorsing his candidacy.
Dallwyn Merck, LPQC Secretary, provided the following background information:
Although Carl Person lives in Manhattan and has been a member of both the Manhattan Libertarian Party and the Libertarian Party of Queens County, his home base over the years has been the Queens LP, having once been appointed to serve as its State Representative. When he announced his intention to seek the Libertarian Party's Presidential Nomination on June 5, 2011, a few club members were favorably disposed to support him. John Procida, LPQC Vice-Chair, endorsed his candidacy and I decided to wear his campaign button at the Occupy Wall Street Protests in Zuccotti Park. Other officers and members remained uncommitted.
Dr. Tom Stevens, LPQC Political Director who served as Carl Person's Campaign Manager, did everything within his power to convince Carl Person to run on issues solidly based upon libertarian principles. However, Mr. Person ignored all his advice and continued to put out press releases so Socialist, Leftist and Green in ideological perspective that Dr. Stevens told Carl he would resign whenever a replacement could be found but would stay on in an advisory role until that point.
Carl Person lost my support as well as the support of most club members because of his socialist tendencies and the statist solutions he was offering with respect to the country's problems. The Libertarian Party of Queens County also refused to endorse Carl Person's candidacy. Tension continued to increase between Dr. Tom Stevens and Carl Person. A little known fact is Dr. Stevens, although serving as Carl Person's Campaign Manager, refused to endorse his candidacy.
When Gary Johnson announced on December 28, 2011 his intention to seek the Libertarian Party's Presidential Nomination, a motion was made to put the Executive Committee of the Libertarian Party of Queens County on record in support of his efforts. By December 29, 2011, all Executive Committee members' votes were tallied and the result was the unanimous endorsement of Gary Johnson's candidacy.
The Libertarian Party of Queens County was founded on October 6, 1994.
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