Long Island Libertarians Endorses Randy Altschuler For Congress (1st C.D. NY)

On August 7, 2010, Long Island Libertarians, a chartered chapter of Empire State Libertarians, announced its endorsement of Randy Altschuler for Congress from the 1st Congressional District (New York), which is located entirely in Suffolk County. In announcing the endorsement, Dr. Tom Stevens, Chair of Long Island Libertarians, said, "Randy Altschuler is a candidate who believes in smaller government, lower taxes and respect for the constitutional rights of all Americans."

The following are excerpts of statements made by Randy Altschuler regarding his positions on issues:

I am a proud fiscal conservative committed to free market principles. My top priority is to promote proven pro-growth and low tax policies for the First Congressional District and our nation. I know that low taxes, a renewed focus on revitalizing small business and the indefatigable spirit of American ingenuity promises to return our country to economic prosperity. That's why I signed Americans for Tax Reform's "Taxpayer Protection Pledge" -- opposing any effort to raise taxes. As a small businessman, I know firsthand the challenges of starting a business from scratch, meeting a payroll and the pride that comes with creating jobs. Today, hardworking Long Islanders feel the burdensome effect of a Democrat-controlled Congress, with no check and balance on their authority. Their big government model of massive spending and higher taxes has produced anemic growth and few jobs for our struggling economy. We must stop the Washington politicians from spending trillions of dollars we don't have and strapping future generations with massive debt we can't afford. It's essential that we cut the corporate tax rate which serves as a stranglehold on the competitiveness of American companies abroad. Government's proper role in the economy is to facilitate opportunity for individual initiative and entrepreneurship -- not to stifle its growth with ever-increasing financial and regulatory burdens. I believe my experience building companies and creating jobs has prepared me to contribute to changing the culture in Washington from day one.

We must support our nation's military by providing the best training, technology and equipment available. I am committed to ensuring that America stands ready to effectively confront the global security challenges of the 21st Century, such as terrorism and nuclear proliferation. We must ensure: that our military remains the world's strongest and most agile, able to handle traditional and evolving threats; that our intelligence community receives the full backing of the federal government -- in word and deed -- and becomes ever more proficient at anticipating impending danger; and that we continue to nurture the international alliances and relationships that promote peace and security.

I will work tirelessly to preserve the rights of the individual and our state by upholding the constitutional limits and restraints placed on government by our nation's founders. I will fight to defend every law-abiding American's right to protect their family and property.

Randy Altschuler is seeking the nomination of the Republican Party for Congress in the 1st C.D. and is seeking to unseat Tim Bishop, the incumbent Democratic Congressman. Long Island Libertarians considered endorsing Christopher Cantwell, the nominee of the Suffolk County Libertarian Party for Congress from the 1st C.D., but rejected him on many grounds, including the fact that he is an ex-convict and a future convict, and because Mr. Cantwell believes the United States Constitution as currently written entitles United States citizens to purchase and privately own nuclear weapons, a position that caused Jeff Grizlo, a Suffolk County resident, to call him "Kooky Cantwell".

On May 2, 2010, Mr. Cantwell posted the following to a Libertarian Party Yahoo Group:

I’ve had the nuclear 2nd Amendment discussion before and I agree, the Constitution does not define arms, so I see legitimacy to the argument that the 2nd Amendment, as written, would provide such a protection as radical as that may be, a Constitutional Amendment defining arms would be required to outlaw private ownership of nuclear weapons.

On May 6, 2010, Jeff Grizlo, Executive Vice-President of Rising Action who is also a Suffolk County resident wrote:

I am used to people getting elected to Congress who later get arrested. It is an interesting twist in the natural order of things and certainly a change in tactics for the Suffolk County Libertarian Party to consider nominating an ex-con right up front. People deserve second chances but there are a few problems with this particular prospective candidate. While he was incarcerated in the year 2000, he has been very silent about the circumstances that surrounded his arrest and conviction. All he has said is that he did not go to prison for "good behavior" and that if he raped a 4 year old girl, he would like to think the Suffolk County Libertarians would not be considering given him their nomination. I am not so sure. In addition to being an ex-con, there is evidence that he has not been fully rehabilitated. According to recent reports, he is currently awaiting trial on a D.W.I. charge. Finally, I recently criticized Christopher Cantwell for his stated belief that the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution as currently written gives a constitutional right to all citizens to privately own and possess nuclear weapons. For that stand, I called him Kooky Cantwell. So basically, the Suffolk County Libertarian Party is set to endorse an alcoholic, ex-con who believes everyone has a current constitutional right to own and possess nuclear weapons. Perhaps it's the Suffolk County Libertarian Party that should be called kooky!

Dr. Tom Stevens, Chair of Long Island Libertarians, provided this update:

It appears that at the time this discussion was taking place, Christopher Cantwell was facing an upcoming trial on two felony charges that promised to land him in prison for four years. On the eve of trial, he plead guilty to misdemeanor charges and agreed to serve time in jail after Election Day in November.

The following are excerpts from a statement made regarding this issue by Christopher Cantwell on June 22, 2010:

While I was on a date, on Saturday March 7th 2009 at 3:30am, I was pulled over for doing 55mph in a 40mph zone in Easthampton NY. I had been drinking...The officer asked me to exit the vehicle and perform some sobriety tests...His police report stated that I failed all 3 tests...I was taken to the station, and there I was asked, under threat of my license being suspended, and my being arrested, and my vehicle seized anyway, if I would submit to a breath alcohol test...I was charged with one count of felony driving while intoxicated; per se, and one count of felony driving while intoxicated...I have, the entire time, intended to fight these charges, relying on the last hope for Justice in America – a Jury of my peers. But, in the last hours before jury selection a final plea offer was made. The offer was that I would be sentenced to 45 days in the county jail, of which I will serve 30, minus the 1 day I had in from my arrest, and plead guilty to one misdemeanor count of DWI per se. If I was found guilty at trial, I would have faced a felony conviction and up to 4 years in a state penitentiary. The arrangement was worked out so that I will return for sentencing on November 15th 2010, after the election, and my 30th Birthday which is on November 12th. I will be released before Christmas, and before I would take office if elected.

Dr. Tom Stevens, Chair of Long Island Libertarians, said:

After considering the qualifications and positions of all the candidates seeking election to Congress from the 1st Congressional District, there was no doubt in our minds that Randy Altschuler is the candidate who will best represent libertarian principles and who has the credibility to actually get elected to Congress.

Long Island Libertarians is a chartered chapter of Empire State Libertarians representing libertarians and libertarian-minded individuals in Kings County, Queens County, Nassau County and Suffolk County.

Empire State Libertarians Endorses Alden Link, Libertarian Party Nominee For Lt. Governor Of New York State

On August 5, 2010, the Governing Board of Empire State Libertarians endorsed Alden Link, who is the Libertarian Party Nominee for Lt. Governor of New York State.

Alden Link received the endorsement of Empire State Libertarians after indicating to the Governing Board his full agreement with the following Candidate Endorsement Statement for Election Year 2010:

If elected, I will take action to bring about smaller, more efficient, government as well as fewer and lower taxes. I intend to work to stimulate the economy and to create jobs by reducing corporate taxation and bureaucratic regulation. I do not believe it is the government's role to bring about social change, to redistribute wealth, or to pass laws criminalizing conduct that causes no direct harm to others. I will do what I can to bolster the value of our currency, to reduce the national debt, to better defend our borders, to keep our military strong, and to protect those individual rights guaranteed to all Americans in the United States Constitution.

Mr. Link also agreed to place the fact of his endorsement by Empire State Libertarians and the Candidate Endorsement Statement on his website. Those references are located at:
http://aldenlink-for-ltgovernor.com/alden-link-candidate-for-lt-governor-of-nys.html

Alden Link has also promised to work to:

Reduce government.

Make the Lt. Governor's job a part time position for half pay.

Reduce or eliminate non-funded State mandates for local governments.

Stop enforcing marijuana laws and make use and possession legal.

Support all second amendment rights.

Provide equal rights for all people regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation.

Clear jails of non-violent drug offenders.

Make property taxes affordable.

Eliminate State government except for infrastructure: roads, bridges, and police.
Dr. Tom Stevens, Founder of Empire State Libertarians, stated:

Alden Link becomes the first candidate formally endorsed by Empire State Libertarians for Election Year 2010. We are proud to offer him our support and wish him the best of luck in his campaign to be elected Lt. Governor of the State of New York.

Dr. Tom Stevens founded Empire State Libertarians on July 4, 2010.

Gary Popkin, Former Brooklyn LP Chair, Supports Regressive Taxation & Children Starving As "A Great Incentive" For The Poor To "Get Rich"

On August 2, 2010, Gary Popkin, the former Brooklyn Libertarian Party Chair and current State Representative for the Brooklyn LP, announced his support for regressive taxation. He also stated his belief that starving children provide "a great incentive" for the poor to "get rich"!

His full quotation on the matter is as follows:

I think regressive taxes are good. Taxing poor people at a higher rate than rich ones gives the poor an incentive to get rich and get out of that high tax bracket. I think children starving presents a great incentive, too.

There is no evidence this statement was made in jest or as a joke. It was made as part of a general discussion taking place on the issue of taxation and made as a counterpoint to an argument being put forth that gasoline taxes hit the poor most directly.

Dr. Tom Stevens, Political Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, responded as follows:

Although the Supreme Court of the United States disagrees, I believe that taxing citizens at a higher or lower rate depending on how much money they earn violates the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution. If the Income Tax Rate is 10%, then a person making $10,000.00 should pay $1,000.00 and a person making $100,000.00 should pay $10,000.00. It is unconscionable to tax the higher income earning citizen at a rate of 30% and force him to pay $30,000.00. It would be even more unjust for the low-income earning person to be taxed at a higher rate than the higher-income earning person. In my opinion, that would not provide "the poor an incentive to get rich and get out of that high tax bracket" as Gary Popkin suggests. Breaking out of poverty is not a simple process. Often, poor people have attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that prevent them from breaking out of their circumstances. I also do not believe that allowing children to starve will provide the "great incentive" Gary Popkin believes it would to encourage poor people to "get rich". It is statements such as these by Libertarian Party leaders that illustrates why the party hasn't been able to obtain ballot access in New York State for almost four decades.

Dr. Tom Stevens is also the Founder of Empire State Libertarians and Libertarian Patriots of New York.

Objectivist Party To Celebrate Skyscraper Appreciation Day On August 10th

Skyscraper Appreciation Day, founded by Dr. Tom Stevens, is celebrated on August 10th, the birth date of William Van Alen, the primary architect behind the construction of the Chrysler Building, one of the most popular skyscrapers in New York City. Dr. Stevens started Skyscraper Appreciation Day so people can appreciate the engineering and architectural marvels we know as skyscrapers, which represent the triumph of reason and of man's industrial nature.

The Objectivist Party, which Dr. Tom Stevens founded on February 2, 2008, will celebrate Skyscraper Appreciation Day on August 10, 2010 and will encourage its members to do one or more of the following:

1. Research the history of skyscrapers.

2. Visit an interesting skyscraper near your home.

3. Select photos of your favorite skyscrapers and post them to the "Photos" section of the Skyscraper Appreciation Day Facebook Group located at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=41259490414&ref=ts

4. Visit "The Skyscraper Museum", a private, not-for-profit, educational corporation devoted to the study of high rise buildings, which is located in lower Manhattan. http://www.skyscraper.org/home.htm

5. Help spread the message of Objectivism and of the importance of human reason by joining the Objectivist Party http://www.objectivistparty.us/ by sending your full name and address, e-mail and contact phone number (indicating if it is a cell or home number) to Dr. Tom Stevens, Objectivist Party Chair, at DrTomStevens@aol.com (Membership is free and is open to anyone in the world)

Ayn Rand loved skyscrapers, not only for their phallic erectness, but also because they symbolized exactly what she stood for and what she thought was best about not only our country but the whole of Western civilization. She wrote the following paean to one such building in The Fountainhead:

The building stood on the shore of the East River, a structure rapt as raised arms. The rock crystal forms mounted in such eloquent steps that the building did not seem stationary, but moving upward in a continuous flow - until one realized that it was only the movement of one’s glance and that one’s glance was forced to move in that particular rhythm. The walls of pale gray limestone looked silver against the sky, with the clean, dulled luster of metal, but a metal that had become a warm, living substance, carved by the most cutting of all instruments - a purposeful human will; the skyscrapers, the shapes of man’s achievement on earth. (The Fountainhead, pgs. 300 & 327)

In an article entitled "The Skyscraper: A Gesture To Reason, Freedom and Human Life" (April 27, 2003) published in Capitalism Magazine, Joseph Kellard wrote:

The skyscraper's true symbolic gesture is captured best by philosopher Leonard Peikoff, when he said of his associate Ayn Rand: 'New York, the skyscrapers, everything that man had traversed from the time of the cave to the time of this glorious and industrial civilization, that was to [her the pinnacle of human achievement in physical terms.] It wasn't just acquiring philosophy. It was acquiring ideas, acquiring science and then remaking the earth accordingly. And she couldn't think of a more splendid and exciting and beautiful place than that view that you get of the skyscrapers when you don't see the details of each one, but the mass of ingenuity and talent soaring for the sky.'

Regarding New York's skyline, Ayn Rand said:

I would give the greatest sunset in the world for one sight of New York's skyline... The sky over New York and the will of man made visible. What other religion do we need?... When I see the city from my window - no, I don't feel how small I am - but I feel that if a war came to threaten this, I would throw myself into space, over the city, and protect these buildings with my body.

Dr. Tom Stevens currently serves as Chair of the Objectivist Party and as President of the Objectivist Party of New York. He founded Skyscraper Appreciation Day in 2008.

Objectivist Party Of New York Members Demonstrate Against Charlie St. Cloud

On Saturday, July 31, 2010, members of the Objectivist Party of New York demonstrated in front of the AMC Loews Fresh Meadows 7 movie theater in Queens, New York encouraging people not to see Charlie St. Cloud, the new movie starring Zac Efron. OPNY members were particularly upset with the mysticism and supernatural elements portrayed in the film.

OPNY members participating in the demonstration held signs that read:

There Is No White Light!

Dead People Cannot Be Seen!

There Are No Miracles

Half-Dead People Don't Suddenly Appear In Cemeteries Leaving Notes!

Stop Being Superstitious! This Is Not The 12th Century!

Dead Boys Cannot Set Off Flares!

Touching A St. Jude Medal Cannot Bring Someone Back To Life!

Use Your Logic & Reason!

Dr. Tom Stevens, OPNY President, said:

When individuals see television shows and movies that treat the existence of gods, ghosts, angels, miracles and magic as being real, people without good reasoning abilities tend to believe such things may be possible because science cannot prove for sure they don't exist. However, when someone believes in mysticism and is superstitious, the burden of showing that such things exist lies with them. It is deeply depressing to think many people in this world still have faith in fantastic explanations for what takes place in the natural world and that supernatural forces intervene on a regular basis to alter reality to benefit them. No one can see or speak to the dead, aliens are not abducting people, knocking on wood has no effect and everything does not happen for a reason. I hope one day all people will use logic and reason to lead productive, purposeful lives. A culture dominated by movies such as Charlie St. Cloud does not help the human race to progress rationally and intellectually. In fact, it has the opposite effect.

Dr. Tom Stevens founded the Objectivist Party on February 2, 2008 and currently serves as its Chair. He also serves as President of the Objectivist Party of New York.

Empire State Libertarians Charters 10 Chapters Covering All 62 Counties In New York State

On July 27, 2010, the Governing Board of Empire State Libertarians announced the formation of 10 chartered chapters covering all 62 counties in New York State.

The 10 new chartered chapters are the following:

Downstate Libertarians
(covering Richmond, New York, the Bronx, Westchester & Rockland counties)

Long Island Libertarians
(covering Kings, Queens, Nassau & Suffolk counties)

Hudson River Valley Libertarians
(covering Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Columbia & Greene counties)

Susquehanna-Catskill Libertarians
(covering Broome, Chenango, Otsego, Delaware & Sullivan counties)

Saratoga-Capital District Libertarians
(covering Fulton, Montgomery, Schoharie, Albany, Rensselaer, Schenactady, Saratoga & Washington counties)

Adirondack-North Country Libertarians
(covering Warren, Hamilton, Essex, Clinton, Franklin & St. Lawrence counties)

Thousand Islands-Seaway Libertarians
(covering Herkimer, Lewis, Jefferson, Madison, Oneida & Oswego counties)

Finger Lakes-Central New York Libertarians
(covering Onondaga, Cortland, Cayuga, Tompkins, Tioga, Chemung, Schyler, Seneca & Yates counties)

Genesee River Valley Libertarians
(covering Monroe, Wayne, Livingston, Ontario, Steuben & Allegany counties)

Niagara Falls-Western Frontier Libertarians
(covering Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, Erie, Wyoming, Chautauqua & Cattaraugus)

Empire State Libertarians is in the process of appointing Chairs and Vice-Chairs for each of the chartered chapters. If you are interested in serving in a leadership position in Empire State Libertarians, contact Dr. Tom Stevens at DrTomStevens@aol.com

Empire State Libertarians Charters Susquehanna-Catskill Libertarians

On July 25, 2010, the Governing Board of Empire State Libertarians chartered Susquehanna-Catskill Libertarians, a local chapter that will be active in Broome, Chenango, Otsego, Delaware & Sullivan counties. Jack Roque, Treasurer of the Campaign Committee formed to elect Alden Link Lt. Governor of New York State, was appointed Chair of Susquehanna-Catskill Libertarians. Mr. Roque recently attended the Libertarian Party's National Convention in St. Louis, Missouri over Memorial Day weekend. He lives in Chenango County.

Dr. Tom Stevens founded Empire State Libertarians on July 4, 2010. It has the following purposes:

1. to encourage New York State residents who share libertarian ideals and principles to become politically active and to seek out avenues to promote a pro-liberty agenda;

2. to endorse candidates seeking elective office who support smaller government, lower taxes and more individual freedom;

3. to encourage patriotism, respect for our Founder Fathers, and a deep appreciation for the United States Constitution; and

4. to organize and charter chapters of Empire State Libertarians in order to promote local activism.

Susquehanna-Catskill Libertarians will be seeking to identify candidates in its area of geographic responsibility who would like to receive the endorsement of Empire State Libertarians and who are in complete agreement with the following Candidate Endorsement Statement for Election Year 2010:

If elected, I will take action to bring about smaller, more efficient, government as well as fewer and lower taxes. I intend to work to stimulate the economy and to create jobs by reducing corporate taxation and bureaucratic regulation. I do not believe it is the government's role to bring about social change. to redistribute wealth, or to pass laws criminalizing conduct that causes no direct harm to others. I will do what I can to bolster the value of our currency, to reduce the national debt, to better defend our borders, to keep our military strong, and to protect those individual rights guaranteed to all Americans in the United States Constitution.

For more information about Empire State Libertarians, contact Dr. Tom Stevens, its Founder, at DrTomStevens@aol.com or visit its Facebook Page at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=136427703051139&ref=ts

Empire State Libertarians & Libertarian Patriots of New York (LPNY) Now Have An Operating Website

Empire State Libertarians & Libertarian Patriots of New York (LPNY) both now have an operating website they share at the following website addresses:

http://www.lpny.org/

http://www.lpny.net/

http://www.lpny.info/

Libertarian Patriots of New York (LPNY) was founded by Dr. Tom Stevens on May 31, 2010.

Empire State Libertarians was founded by Dr. Tom Stevens on July 4, 2010.

Both groups also maintain Facebook Groups.

The Empire State Libertarians Facebook Group is located at:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=136427703051139&ref=ts

The Libertarian Patriots of New York (LPNY) Facebook Group is located at:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=111650602215541&ref=ts

Empire State Libertarians has posted a Candidate Endorsement Statement for Election Year 2010. It is also chartering local chapters and appointing Political Advisors.

Membership in Empire State Libertarians and Libertarian Patriots of New York (LPNY) is free. For more information, contact DrTomStevens@aol.com

Sam Sloan Files Candidate Committee With New York State Board Of Elections & Solicits Contributions As LP Candidate For Governor

On Tuesday, July 19, 2010, Sam Sloan created the Committee To Elect Sam Sloan filing the required paperwork with the New York State Board of Elections. On that day, he also opened a campaign committee bank account at Chase Manhattan Bank with himself listed as Treasurer. Mr. Sloan claims to be the gubernatorial candidate of the Libertarian Party of New York and fully expects the Justices of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York to issue a ruling declaring that to be a fact.

Sam Sloan has already hired two paid petitioners who are collecting signatures on his behalf on a petition that is identical in every regard to the one being circulated by some Libertarian Party activists in New York State except that Sloan's petition lists him as the gubernatorial nominee of the Libertarian Party instead of Warren Redlich. A second version of the petition with an additional candidate added is being circulated upstate. In addition, Mr. Sloan has initiated negotiations with an out-of-state team of paid petitioners to discuss bringing them to New York to work on his behalf.

If Sam Sloan wins his two appeals, it is unknown whether the Appellate Division will extend the deadline to submit valid petition signatures to the New York State Board of Elections so Mr. Sloan is making efforts to collect as many signatures as he can now in support of his candidacy for Governor of New York State. If Sam Sloan loses his appeal, it is his position that the first person to file petition signatures with the New York State Board of Elections as the Libertarian Party candidate for Governor is the individual who will be granted the right to use that party name. Mr. Sloan absolutely rejects the claim of some members of Free Libertarian Party, Inc. that they have a common-law trademark right to the exclusive use of the "Libertarian Party" name in New York State. If, in the end, Mr. Sloan is forced to use another party name, he will simply do so and continue his campaign to be the next Governor of the State of New York under that party's banner.

Sam Sloan is now accepting campaign contributions. Make your check or money order payable to "Committee To Elect Sam Sloan" and send it to Sam Sloan at 1664 Davidson Avenue, Apt. #1-B, Bronx, NY 10453-7877.

Sloan & Redlich Finally Agree: Sex Between Adults & Young Teenagers May Not Be Objectionable

Warren Redlich is the gubernatorial nominee of the Libertarian Party of New York in 2010. Sam Sloan came in second for the gubernatorial nomination at the LPNY State Convention held on April 24, 2010 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Albany, New York and is now challenging the legitimacy of the nomination process in two cases currently pending before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York. Despite this controversy, the two of them may agree when it comes to whether sex with underage teenagers is objectionable.

Sam Sloan recently wrote:

I am in favor of lowering the age of consent. One hundred years ago the average age of marriage was 16. The father of modern science, Antoine Lavoisier, married a 13-year-old girl who assisted him in his scientific research and carried on his works until her great old age. Statistics show that the birth rate for Americans has dropped well below the replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman, and that includes Black Americans who have a much higher birth rate than White Americans. If only White U.S. Born Americans are considered, we are headed for rapid extinction. Our population continues to increase only because of the constant influx of foreign born women who produce a high percentage, almost a majority, of the children. I am a good example. I have eight children born in the USA, but the mothers of all 8 of them were born in other countries. The Age of Consent and the Age of Legal Marriage needs to be lowered. If not, we are headed for extinction.

In an article Warren Redlich posted to his Stop Wasting Money Blog with the intention of "mocking" the shocked reaction people had to the "racy" Miley Cyrus photos, he wrote:

The story also hits on how Puritanism is still so prevalent in America. The greatest love interest in the history of romance is at least arguably Juliet from Romeo and Juliet. Juliet was 13 years old. For some reason females become fertile in their early teens and peak before the age of 18. You would think those who believe in the theory of evolution would see this as the design of the species. And in an interesting alliance with Darwin, shouldn't religious people (and not just those in cults) believe teenage girls should be sexually active (in marriage of course), as that would appear to be the intent of the intelligent design? Instead both groups appear to be together on the opposite side.

Another take is the notion that men who find teenage girls attractive are perverts. If you look at literature like Shakespeare, and at some historical figures like Sir William Johnson (a prominent pre-revolutionary leader in New York), you get the impression that it used to be normal for men, even much older men, to be interested in teenage girls.

Despite these comments, Warren Redlich recently said he does not support lowering the age of consent in New York State. For the full context of the quotations I used from Warren Redlich's blog, you can read the entire article yourself at: http://www.wredlich.com/stop-wasting-money/2008/04/best-miley-cyrus-quote.html

In a separate e-mail, Sam Sloan stated that while he supports lowering the age of consent, he refuses to be pinned down to a particular age at which he thinks the age of consent should be set. In that e-mail, he wrote:

I am in favor of lowering the Age of Consent. Saying that it should be lowered to 14 or to any other specific age is risky. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg got into trouble for saying as a young law school student that the Age of Consent should be lowered to 13. She has never lived that down. Similarly, statements like that by Libertarian Party Candidate Mary Ruwart may have killed her candidacy for President of the United States.

The age of consent in New York State is currently set at 17.

Incompetence & Malfeasance Continue To Reign In The Libertarian Party Of New York

Instead of viewing the State Committee of the Libertarian Party of New York as its Board of Directors with each member having fiduciary responsibilities, most of its current and former members continue to treat it as a private club where competence, getting proper financial breakdowns, having minutes and following the bylaws do not seem to matter.

Today, the New York affiliate of the Libertarian Party held another State Committee meeting. Brian DeMarzo, the elected Secretary, was not on the call nor did he submit minutes for the last meeting. In fact, State Committee meetings were held on April 24, 2010, June 6, 2010, and June 27, 2010 and no minutes have been submitted for any of those meeting. Mr. DeMarzo was also Secretary for the LPNY Convention held on April 24, 2010 and minutes for that convention have also not been uploaded. This is not simply an incompetence issue for Brian DeMarzo. The last LPNY Secretary, M Carling, did not submit minutes for any of the State Committee meetings held from December, 2009 through April, 2010 and no one on the State Committee, except former LPNY member Dr. Tom Stevens, ever raised this issue.

The LPNY Treasury is even in worse shape. Currently, Gary Treistman, the elected Treasurer, is still in the process of changing banks but that process has been on going since April 24, 2010. Knowing it took over 6 months to transfer signatures and pass codes during the last term of office, it was Dr. Tom Stevens, then State Representative for the Libertarian Party of Queens County, who made a motion at the State Committee meeting on April 24, 2010 requesting that this new transfer take place within 30 days. Mark Axinn, LPNY Chair, indicated that is not how he likes to do business and requested the language be changed to "as soon as possible". That motion passed but the former Treasurer is still handling aspects of the books and the new Treasurer has not gotten a proper breakdown of the money collected at the State Convention despite requests for such a breakdown that were made by Dr. Tom Stevens to both the Convention Committee and to the new Treasurer. Stevens also objected to the last State Committee authorizing funds for the Convention when it had not seen the contract signed on its behalf and did not know what the financial liability was for the state party.

Mark Axinn, LPNY Chair, also continues to treat voting procedures without a great degree of respect. His allowing voting on the "honor system" has led to a challenge of the nominating process that took place at the LPNY State Convention on April 24, 2010. Another example of that took place at the State Committee meeting held by teleconference on July 17, 2010. Gary Donoyan of Nassau County had come on the call but Blay Tarnoff, the Nassau County State Representative had not. Mr. Donoyan explicitly stated he was not a member of the State Committee. Mr. Tarnoff could have designated Mr. Donoyan to be the replacement State Representative for this meeting but he had not. Mark Axinn, LPNY Chair, announced that if Tarnoff failed to come onto the call, that he would let Donoyan vote for Nassau "just this one time". A similar situation occurred with respect to the State Representative for Suffolk County, who did not appear. Jim Harris, a Suffolk County member, was on the call. Mark Axinn, LPNY Chair, asked Harris if Michael Houze had designated him to be State Representative for the purposes of the call. Mr. Harris said "No, I have received no such authorization." Mark Axinn, then said to the entire State Committee, "I heard him say 'yes'. Did you all hear him say 'yes'?" It turned out Mr. Axinn didn't need either of these votes to make quorum, which was finally achieved 20 minutes into the meeting.

Dr. Tom Stevens, Political Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, said:

I was not on the State Committee teleconference call because I resigned my Life Membership in the Libertarian Party of New York after the State Committee suspended my membership for continuing to raise issues of professionalism and for asking questions I considered to be important to ask as part of my fiduciary responsibilities as a member of the State Committee, which I viewed as being the Board of Directors of the corporate entity we are.

I am certain my questions annoyed others who viewed the state party as more of a social club but I did and said what I thought was right. You can be sure that if I still served on the State Committee of the Libertarian Party of New York, that I would have objected to there not being regular minutes, not having a Treasurer's Report and to the effort to permit people to vote who had no authority to do so.

Dr. Tom Stevens is currently the Political Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County and is the Founder of Libertarian Patriots of New York and Empire State Libertarians.

Empire State Libertarians Charters Hudson River Valley Libertarians

On July 16, 2010, the Governing Board of Empire State Libertarians chartered Hudson River Valley Libertarians, a local chapter that will be active in Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Columbia & Greene counties. Alden Link, the Libertarian Party's nominee for Lt. Governor, was appointed Chair of Hudson River Valley Libertarians.

Dr. Tom Stevens founded Empire State Libertarians on July 4, 2010. It has the following purposes:

1. to encourage New York State residents who share libertarian ideals and principles to become politically active and to seek out avenues to promote a pro-liberty agenda;

2. to endorse candidates seeking elective office who support smaller government, lower taxes and more individual freedom;

3. to encourage patriotism, respect for our Founder Fathers, and a deep appreciation for the United States Constitution; and

4. to organize and charter chapters of Empire State Libertarians in order to promote local activism.

Hudson River Valley Libertarians will be seeking to identify candidates in its area of geographic responsibility who would like to receive the endorsement of Empire State Libertarians and who are in complete agreement with the following Candidate Endorsement Statement for Election Year 2010:

If elected, I will take action to bring about smaller, more efficient, government as well as fewer and lower taxes. I intend to work to stimulate the economy and to create jobs by reducing corporate taxation and bureaucratic regulation. I do not believe it is the government's role to bring about social change. to redistribute wealth, or to pass laws criminalizing conduct that causes no direct harm to others. I will do what I can to bolster the value of our currency, to reduce the national debt, to better defend our borders, to keep our military strong, and to protect those individual rights guaranteed to all Americans in the United States Constitution.

For more information about Empire State Libertarians, contact Dr. Tom Stevens, its Founder, at DrTomStevens@aol.com or visit its Facebook Page at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=136427703051139&ref=ts

Empire State Libertarians Charters Long Island Libertarians

On July 14, 2010, the Governing Board of Empire State Libertarians chartered Long Island Libertarians, a local chapter that will be active in Kings, Queens, Nassau & Suffolk counties. Dr. Tom Stevens, Political Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County and Founder of Empire State Libertarians, was appointed Chair.

Empire State Libertarians was founded on July 4, 2010 and has the following purposes:

1. to encourage New York State residents who share libertarian ideals and principles to become politically active and to seek out avenues to promote a pro-liberty agenda;

2. to endorse candidates seeking elective office who support smaller government, lower taxes and more individual freedom;

3. to encourage patriotism, respect for our Founder Fathers, and a deep appreciation for the United States Constitution; and

4. to organize and charter chapters of Empire State Libertarians in order to promote local activism.

Long Island Libertarians will be seeking to identify candidates in its area of geographic responsibility who would like to receive the endorsement of Empire State Libertarians and who are in complete agreement with the following Candidate Endorsement Statement for Election Year 2010:

If elected, I will take action to bring about smaller, more efficient, government as well as fewer and lower taxes. I intend to work to stimulate the economy and to create jobs by reducing corporate taxation and bureaucratic regulation. I do not believe it is the government's role to bring about social change. to redistribute wealth, or to pass laws criminalizing conduct that causes no direct harm to others. I will do what I can to bolster the value of our currency, to reduce the national debt, to better defend our borders, to keep our military strong, and to protect those individual rights guaranteed to all Americans in the United States Constitution.

For more information about Empire State Libertarians, contact Dr. Tom Stevens, its Founder, at DrTomStevens@aol.com or visit its Facebook Page at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=136427703051139&ref=ts

Empire State Libertarians Charters Downstate Libertarians

On July 7, 2010, the Governing Board of Empire State Libertarians chartered Downstate Libertarians, a local chapter that will be active in Richmond, New York, the Bronx, Westchester & Rockland counties.

Dodge P. Landesman, the immediate past State Representative of the Manhattan Libertarian Party, was appointed Chair of Downstate Libertarians. Dallwyn Merck, Secretary of the Libertarian Party of Queens County (who lives in Manhattan) was appointed Vice-Chair.

Dr. Tom Stevens founded Empire State Libertarians on July 4, 2010. It has the following purposes:

1. to encourage New York State residents who share libertarian ideals and principles to become politically active and to seek out avenues to promote a pro-liberty agenda;

2. to endorse candidates seeking elective office who support smaller government, lower taxes and more individual freedom;

3. to encourage patriotism, respect for our Founder Fathers, and a deep appreciation for the United States Constitution; and

4. to organize and charter chapters of Empire State Libertarians in order to promote local activism.

Downstate Libertarians will be seeking to identify candidates in its area of geographic responsibility who would like to receive the endorsement of Empire State Libertarians and who are in complete agreement with the following Candidate Endorsement Statement for Election Year 2010:

If elected, I will take action to bring about smaller, more efficient, government as well as fewer and lower taxes. I intend to work to stimulate the economy and to create jobs by reducing corporate taxation and bureaucratic regulation. I do not believe it is the government's role to bring about social change. to redistribute wealth, or to pass laws criminalizing conduct that causes no direct harm to others. I will do what I can to bolster the value of our currency, to reduce the national debt, to better defend our borders, to keep our military strong, and to protect those individual rights guaranteed to all Americans in the United States Constitution.

For more information about Empire State Libertarians, contact Dr. Tom Stevens, its Founder, at DrTomStevens@aol.com or visit its Facebook Page at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=136427703051139&ref=ts

Empire State Libertarians Issues Candidate Endorsement Statement For Election Year 2010

On Sunday, July 11, 2010, Empire State Libertarians published its Candidate Endorsement Statement for Election Year 2010.

In order to be considered for endorsement by Empire State Libertarians, a candidate must be in full agreement with the following statement:

If elected, I will take action to bring about smaller, more efficient, government as well as fewer and lower taxes. I intend to work to stimulate the economy and to create jobs by reducing corporate taxation and bureaucratic regulation. I do not believe it is the government's role to bring about social change. to redistribute wealth, or to pass laws criminalizing conduct that causes no direct harm to others. I will do what I can to bolster the value of our currency, to reduce the national debt, to better defend our borders, to keep our military strong, and to protect those individual rights guaranteed to all Americans in the United States Constitution.

Candidates running for office in New York State who receive the endorsement of Empire State Libertarians must agree to place the fact of their endorsement and the Candidate Endorsement Statement on their campaign website. Not all candidates seeking the endorsement of Empire State Libertarians will receive it. That decision will be made by the Governing Board of the group.

For more information about Empire State Libertarians, visit the organization's Facebook Group at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=136427703051139&ref=ts

LPNY Split Wide Open: Sloan Circulates Rival Statewide Petitions & Hires Paid Petitioners

Sam Sloan, who like Kristin Davis, was denied the opportunity to communicate with eligible voting delegates prior to the State Convention of the Libertarian Party of New York being held, began circulating rival statewide petitions identical in every detail to those being circulated by the LPNY except that it lists Sam Sloan as the Libertarian Party's gubernatorial candidate instead of Warren Redlich, who was nominated at the LPNY State Convention held on April 24, 2010 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Albany New York. Mr. Sloan has hired a number of paid petitioners who are collecting petition signatures for him in a number of Congressional Districts throughout New York State.

It is Sam Sloan's position, which has been confirmed by election law experts at the New York City and New York State Board of Elections, that the Libertarian Party is not a recognized major or minor political party under New York State Election Law and that since all its candidates file Independent Nominating Petitions, that the first candidate petition to be filed for a particular elective office gets the right to use the Libertarian Party name.

Kristin Davis, Sam Sloan and Warren Redlich were the three announced candidates who were seeking the gubernatorial nomination of the Libertarian Party prior to the State Convention being held. Sam Sloan and Kristin Davis wanted to mail their campaign literature to eligible voting delegates in order to encourage them to attend the State Convention to vote for them. However, this opportunity was denied to both Kristin Davis and Sam Sloan. Ms. Davis decided to abandon her efforts to seek the LP nomination while Mr. Sloan decided to sue the Libertarian Party. Warren Redlich was handed the gubernatorial nomination by obtaining only 27 votes.

Kristin Davis, who is now running for governor as the candidate of the Anti-Prohibition Party, is still bitter regarding her experience with the Libertarian Party of New York and there is strong evidence she intends to challenge any petitions filed on Warren Redlich's behalf. In an e-mail dated July 8, 2010 to Dr. Tom Stevens, LPQC Political Director and Founder of Empire State Libertarians, Andrew Miller, Director of Communications for the Kristin Davis campaign, wrote the following:

The New York Libertarian Party is a joke. As you know the "party" declined to give a list of potential convention voters to Ms. Davis prior to the meeting of their "club" which enjoys no recognition or status in New York State other than the distinction of never being able to win 50,000 votes because they have nominated candidates with no resources and no public identity. I am certain the petition for the Libertarian Party will be challenged - there is no place on the ballot for a man who advocates sex with under-age children.

On Friday, July 9, 2010, Sam Sloan filed two separate appeals with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York. The first appeal seeks to overturn the decision of Justice Edmead ruling that Sam Sloan's lawsuit to force the Libertarian Party of New York to turn over to him a list of eligible voting delegates was moot. The second appeal seeks to overturn Justice Edmead's Order dismissing Sam Sloan's lawsuit alleging a fraudulent election process on the grounds that the LPNY convention challenge is subject to a 10-day statute of limitations noted in the Election Law.

Prior to the LPNY State Convention, Sam Sloan obtained an Order from the Supreme Court of the State of New York signed by Justice Edmead ordering Chris Edes, the State Chair, to turn over to him a list of eligible voting delegates. Mr. Edes ignored that Order and when a Hearing was held, Justice Edmead, although stating that Mr. Edes was in contempt of court for ignoring her Order, nevertheless ruled that Sam Sloan's request for relief was moot since the LPNY State Convention had already been held. The basis of Sloan's appeal is that Justice Edmead, as a matter of law, failed to consider how many of the 300-400 LPNY members may have attended the State Convention had Sam Sloan been allowed to mail his campaign literature to them prior to the convention being held.

Sam Sloan's second lawsuit, filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York before Justice Edmead, argued that even though delegates were given a wristband identifying them as eligible to vote and even though Dr. Tom Stevens, LPQC State Representative at the time, vehemently and publicly objected to Mark Axinn's decision to ignore the wristbands and to let people vote on the "honor system", the election went forward and resulted in actual fraud taking place during the vote on the gubernatorial nomination. Mr. Sloan has at least two witnesses who saw ineligible people vote, people voting twice, and people pocketing the votes of others as they collected other people's ballots in order to place them into a passing hat. Justice Edmead dismissed this second lawsuit claiming that the Election Law states that a 10-statute of limitations applies to anyone challenging a convention held by a "party committee". It is Mr. Sloan's contention that the Libertarian Party is not a "party committee" under the Election Law of the State of New York and that, therefore, Justice Edmead made an error in law when she found the statute of limitations applicable.

Dr. Tom Stevens, LPQC Political Director and Founder of Empire State Libertarians, said:

It was going to be difficult enough to obtain a sufficient number of valid petition signatures to get the Redlich slate on the ballot but now with Kristin Davis likely to challenge the petitions and Sam Sloan circulating a rival statewide petition being carried by many LPNY activists, the task now becomes Herculean, despite the commitment of $25,000.00 from the national LP.

I must say that the Libertarian Party of New York has brought this entire situation upon itself. First, when you make peaceful revolution impossible, you make violent revolution inevitable. Hence, by denying Kristin Davis and Sam Sloan a level playing field to compete for the LPNY gubernatorial nomination, you end up forcing the reactions you have observed. In addition, Carl Person, the LPNY candidate for Attorney General, and I negotiated a proposed settlement of the first Sloan lawsuit where Mr. Sloan agreed to drop all challenges to the alleged corrupt process in return for being named as a replacement gubernatorial nominee should Warren Redlich resign from the race. Mark Axinn, LPNY Chair, refused to consider the compromise because of rules he has in his head about not letting anyone gain an advantage because of their having filed a lawsuit. The result was a second Sloan lawsuit and now the two appeals. In my rule book, I believe in settling when the best interests of the party are served especially if you know that individuals are claiming they witnessed actual fraud take place in the election process that nominated your party's gubernatorial nominee.

I believe Sam Sloan and Kristin Davis have raised issues that needed to be raised. I have been commenting on what I considered to be a biased process from December, 2009 right on through to the LPNY State Convention held on April 24, 2010. I have no idea what the outcome of this situation will be except that I will say that it could have been avoided.

Sam Sloan is the State Representative of the Manhattan Libertarian Party, and Dr. Tom Stevens is the Political Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County. Dr. Stevens is also the Founder of Libertarian Patriots of New York and Empire State Libertarians.

Empire State Libertarians Formed On Independence Day 2010

On July 4, 2010, Dr. Tom Stevens, Political Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County and Founder of Libertarian Patriots of New York (LPNY), formed Empire State Libertarians to be a more effective political force for promoting a pro-liberty agenda in the State of New York. Empire State Libertarians is not associated or affiliated with Free Libertarian Party, Inc., the recognized local affiliate of the Libertarian Party in New York State. Dr. Stevens resigned his Life Membership in the Free Libertarian Party, Inc. on June 27, 2010 to focus his energies on more productive political endeavors and opportunities.

Membership in Empire State Libertarians is free and it is expected that local affiliates will be chartered soon. Stevens said, "Our goal is to welcome all small government libertarians into our ranks and to take actions that will have an immediate positive effect in spreading the message of liberty. We do not plan to charge dues, to hold meetings or to run candidates for elective office in a futile attempt to capture 1% of the popular vote. We intend to participate in Tea Party rallies, endorse libertarian-leaning candidates and join pro-liberty coalitions. We have no intention of getting bogged down in bureaucratic machinations or suffering the company of unethical, toxic libertarians who wouldn't recognize what integrity was even if it came up and slapped them in the face. It is my intention to focus the efforts of Empire State Libertarians on goal-oriented action."

The formation of Empire State Libertarians reflects growing frustration with the individuals who are currently in charge of the Libertarian Party in New York State. The Libertarian Party of Queens County recently passed a resolution by unanimous vote condemning "the extremely dysfunctional Libertarian Party of New York, whose politically inexperienced, stagnant leadership and the presence of toxic individuals have been primarily responsible for the party's inability to obtain ballot access over the past nearly 40 years."

Empire State Libertarians was formed with the following four (4) purposes:

1. to encourage New York State residents who share libertarian ideals and principles to become politically active and to seek out avenues to promote a pro-liberty agenda;

2. to endorse candidates seeking elective office who support smaller government, lower taxes and more individual freedom;

3. to encourage patriotism, respect for our Founder Fathers, and a deep appreciation for the United States Constitution; and

4. to organize and charter chapters of Empire State Libertarians in order to promote local activism.

Feel free to join the Facebook Page of Empire State Libertarians at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=136427703051139&ref=ts

If you are interested in membership, taking a leadership role or being a political advisor to Empire State Libertarians, contact Dr. Tom Stevens at DrTomStevens@aol.com

Former OPME Affiliate President & Tea Party Activist Thayne Michael Ormsby Charged In Triple Homicide

Thayne Michael Ormsby, 20, of Orient, Maine was arrested in Dover, New Hampshire on Friday, July 2, 2010 on a felony fugitive from justice charge. Mr. Ormsby was interviewed at Dover Police Headquarters and probable cause was developed for his involvement in the murders of 55-year-old Jeffrey Ryan, his 10-year-old son Jesse, and 30-year-old Jason Dehahn, a neighbor. All three victims were stabbed to death and their bodies were found in or near Ryan's mobile home on U.S. 1 in Amity, Maine. It has been reported that Thayne Michael Ormsby was dating Mariah Ryan, Jeffrey Ryan's 16-year-old daughter.

In 2008, Thayne Michael Ormsby lived as a live-in-campaign-aide to John Frary, a Republican Party candidate for Congress in the 2nd Congressional Distirct (Maine). He also attended a number of Tea Party rallies and sought to speak at them. In addition, from July 2, 2009 until January 7, 2010, Thayne Michael Ormsby served as President of the Objectivist Party of Maine. He resigned his membership in the Objectivist Party on January 7, 2010.

Dr. Tom Stevens, Objectivist Party Chair, commented on Thayne's involvement in the party as follows:

Thayne Michael Ormsby contacted the Objectivist Party and sought to become a member. He was very committed to a pro-liberty agenda and was seeking to develop his personal, professional and political skills. Mr. Ormsby appeared to be a very charismatic and intelligent individual with great potential. I offered to help him in any way I could and the Governing Board of the Objectivist Party appointed him to serve as President of the Objectivist Party of Maine on July 2, 2009. Over the following months, Mr. Ormsby was often distracted by illegal drugs, alcohol and a particular woman he sought to marry and start a family with. His commitment to going back to school to get an education and to developing his skills waned and in time, no option remained except for him to resign.

It appears that Thayne Michael Ormsby has confessed to the murders even though a realistic motive for these horrific crimes has yet to be reported. There is no excuse for the actions he took and I fully expect Mr. Ormsby will spend most of the rest of his life in prison. It is a great tragedy when emotions and irrationality cause someone to take actions that will negatively affect the rest of their life. Had Mr. Ormsby remained an Objectivist Party member committed to a purposeful life based on reason and logic, he may have been able to avoid his current predicament. I was prepared to provide Mr. Ormsby advice and guidance but he was not at a point in his life when he was willing to accept it. Instead he chose to act on impulse without regard to future consequences. That is not the Objectivist way.

Thayne Michael Ormsby is being held without bail and will face an extradition hearing in Dover, New Hampshire on July 16, 2010. More details about these murders are contained in the Affidavit of Detective Joshua Haines, which you can read at: http://www.wlbz2.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=119754&catid=3

Libertarian Party Of Queens County Endorses Liz Berney For Congress (5th C.D. New York)

The Libertarian Party of Queens County endorsed Liz Berney for Congress at a Nominating Convention held on Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. on the second floor of McDonald's located at 203-11 Northern Blvd., Flushing, New York 11361. 42 dues paying members of the Libertarian Party of Queens County were in attendance.

Liz Berney and James Milano, two candidates who are also seeking the nomination of the Republican Party for Congress from the 5th Congressional District in New York, were both in attendance at the LPQC Nominating Convention seeking the nomination of the Libertarian Party. Both candidates addressed the voting delegates and took questions.

Liz Berney received 24 votes (68.6% of the vote), James Milano got 8 votes (22.8% of the vote) and 3 people abstained (8.6% of the vote). N.O.T.A. (None Of The Above) was not an option given to the delegates.

On Thursday, July 1, 2010, the Nassau County Libertarian Party also endorsed Liz Berney for Congress. The 5th C.D. is located in both Queens and Nassau Counties. The Bylaws of the Libertarian Party of New York addresses the issue of the requirements for an endorsement in such a situation in Article VIII, Section D, which reads in part:

Where the geographic boundaries of a public office other than statewide or New York City-wide cross into counties where there are more than one County Organization in existence, then endorsements shall be made by each and all affected County Organizations, each making such endorsement according to its own By-Laws and rules of order.

Liz Berney will now petition to get on the ballot as the Libertarian Party's candidate for Congress from the 5th C.D. and will presumably be running against James Milano in the Republican Primary for that office.

You can read more about Liz Berney at her website located at: http://www.lizberneyforcongress.com/

Reform Party Leadership Threatens To Sue New York State Gubernatorial Candidate Kristin Davis

On June 25, 2010, Kristin Davis, a gubernatorial candidate in New York State, announced she intends to petition her way onto the ballot as the candidate of The Reform Party. In a Press Release entitled "Ex-Madam To Run As Reform Party Candidate" issued on June 25, 2010, Ms. Davis' campaign made the following statements:

Kristin Davis, who supplied escorts for former Governor Eliot Spitzer and subsequently spent 4 months in Riker's Island, announced today in the New York State Capitol building that she would petition her way onto the ballot as the candidate of The Reform Party. "I have thought long and hard about a name for a new Libertarian based party that would advocate personal and economic freedom for New Yorkers," said Davis. Because my campaign is about fundamental reform, I will run as a Reform Party candidate. Davis is running on a platform that includes the legalization of prostitution, the legalization of marijuana, the legalization of gay marriage and the legalization of casino gambling. "New York is ready for new ideas and new solutions to our budget crisis - other than higher and higher taxes," said Davis who became a feminist and Libertarian activist after serving time in prison for promoting prostitution. Davis said that her new reform party would also run a candidate for Lieutenant Governor and may also endorse candidates for Attorney General, Comptroller and the US Senate. Davis will require 15,000 valid voter signatures to place her new party and its slate of candidates on the ballot. Signature collection legally begins July 6...

Dr. Tom Stevens, Founder of Libertarian Patriots of New York (LPNY) and Empire State Libertarians, forwarded the Press Release to David Collison, Chairman of the Reform Party National Committee (2008-2012). In a private letter dated June 29, 2010 sent to Kristin Davis from David Collison, he demanded she change the name of her proposed party or face a lawsuit in federal court. The text of that letter is as follows:

I was forwarded a press release stating that you were seeking to run for Governor in New York as a Reform Party candidate.

Please be advised that, like the Libertarians, the Reform Party is a National Party Organization with a presence across the country. While we do not have a ballot line in New York at this time, we do have an existing organization there, with existing leadership, and a formal process for both joining that organization and seeking to use the Reform Party name for seeking elected office.

Likewise, we have several court rulings, including a recent summary judgment in NY Federal Court, clearly showing that we have the rights to use and control the use of the Reform Party name nationally. We have National Party Committee status. We have a functioning Reform Party organization in New York.

The purpose of this communication is to ask you to immediately change the name under which you are seeking to run for Governor. We have an established process for joining a Reform Party organization, and for seeking to run for office under the Reform Party service mark, and you have not followed that process. I understand that there is still sufficient time to change your ballot line title before you begin the petitioning process. I believe that doing so will save both the Reform Party and your campaign significant legal issues.

Thank you for your consideration

David Collison
Chairman, Reform Party National Committee 2008-2012

It is not known whether Kristin Davis responded to this letter or whether she still intends to run for Governor of New York State as the candidate of The Reform Party.

Stevens Resigns LPNY Life Membership

On June 27, 2010, Dr. Tom Stevens resigned his Life Membership in the Libertarian Party of New York. He remains a member of both the Manhattan Libertarian Party and the Libertarian Party of Queens County, the two largest LP chapters in New York State and continues to serve as the Political Director and Membership Director of the Libertarian Party of Queens County.

The LPNY State Committee suspended the membership of Dr. Stevens in the Libertarian Party of New York on June 6, 2010 and extended the suspension on June 27, 2010 claiming that Dr. Stevens "followed a continued public course of action knowing it to be contrary to the principles and objectives of the LPNY", "claimed to represent the LPNY while knowing that this is not the fact", and "for knowingly, seriously and repeatedly disrupting meeting and activities of the LPNY", which was the language set forth in the LPNY bylaws as the grounds needed for a membership suspension. However, the real reasons behind his membership suspension stem from the positions he has taken in his capacity as State Representative for the Libertarian Party of Queens County.

Some of those positions have included:

1. Exposing the fact that Warren Redlich never had a strategy for giving the LPNY a fighting chance of obtaining 50,000 votes in this year's gubernatorial race, and objecting to Redlich's promise not to spend a dime of his own money on the gubernatorial race because his wife wouldn't allow it while simultaneously making the false claim he intended to petition to compete for the Republican Gubernatorial Nomination;

2. Opposing the efforts of State Committee members who wished to deny Kristin Davis and Sam Sloan, two gubernatorial candidates, the opportunity to send campaign literature to all eligible voting LPNY members in order to encourage them to attend the LPNY State Convention. Denied the opportunity to communicate with eligible voting delegates, Kristin Davis bolted to form her own party and Sam Sloan sued the party for the release of the member list. In the end, Sloan was not successful and Warren Redlich won the gubernatorial nomination with only 27 votes;

3. Raising the issue of possible election fraud that took place at the LPNY State Convention when despite every qualified voting delegate being given an identifying wrist ban, Mark Axinn, current LPNY Chair, placed blank sheets of paper on every table and permitted people to collect other people's ballots and place them into a hat. Stevens publicly objected to this procedure at the LPNY Convention and was told by Mr. Axinn he was running the election on the "honor system";

4. Informing Mark Axinn he witnessed election fraud actually taking place at the LPNY Annual Convention when delegates ineligible to vote voted and eligible voting delegates were witnessed voting more than once;

5. Objecting to the fact that the LPNY State Committee never saw or approved the convention contract, never knew how much money the LPNY was obligated to pay, that payments were made after the fact for unauthorized convention mailings and for making repeated requests to obtain a proper breakdown of the money collected at the State Convention;

6. Demanding an expedited process for the transfer of the Treasury records. Last year, there was a six month delay and two months have already passed since April and the signature cards have not been changed and we don't have a proper accounting of the money in the LPNY's Treasury;

7. Requesting that former Secretary M Carling post 4-5 months of missing State Committee Meeting Minutes and for current Secretary Brian DeMarzo to post the LPNY Convention Minutes and those of the past two State Committee Meetings; and

8. Trying to find out, before Chris Cantwell was nominated for Congress, why he spent 4 months in jail and what the status was of two current felonies that were pending against him for which he faced 4 years in state prison.

The Membership and Executive Committee of the Libertarian Party of Queens County responded to the Stevens suspension with the following statement that was unanimously adopted without objection:

The Libertarian Party of Queens County:

Condemns the LPNY State Committee for effectively denying the Libertarian Party of Queens County its choice of representative and the right to decide who it wishes to represent it on the LPNY State Committee by it having wrongfully suspended the membership of Dr. Tom Stevens, the LPQC's duly elected State Representative.

Stands behind Dr. Tom Stevens, our duly elected State Representative, whose actions we completely support without hesitation or reservation and who has represented us in a manner that has always made us proud.

Condemns the extremely dysfunctional Libertarian Party of New York, whose politically inexperienced, stagnant leadership and the presence of toxic individuals have been primarily responsible for the party's inability to obtain ballot access over the past nearly 40 years.

Condemns the LPNY State Committee for suspending the membership of Dr. Tom Stevens, our duly elected State Representative, on specious and baseless grounds in that Dr. Tom Stevens never followed a continued public course of action knowing it to be contrary to the principles and objectives of the LPNY: never claimed to represent the LPNY while knowing that this is not the fact, and certainly never knowingly, seriously and repeatedly disrupted meetings or activities of the LPNY during his service as State Representative for the Libertarian Party of Queens County nor when he served as State Representative of the Manhattan Libertarian Party or as an At-Large Representative to the LPNY State Committee. Expressing opinions and demanding proper accountability and professionalism on the LPNY's Yahoo Group is what the Libertarian Party of Queens County expected of its duly elected State Representative and we fully and unconditionally stand behind him.

Demands a formal apology from the Libertarian Party of New York for its having suspended the membership of Dr. Tom Stevens, our chosen and elected State Representative, and that even if the LPQC chooses to send a substitute representative to the LPNY State Committee, that individual's primary responsibility will be to seek and obtain a formal apology from the LPNY State Committee that must include an invitation to Dr. Tom Stevens to return to the LPNY State Committee as State Representative for the Libertarian Party of Queens County.

Demands that the LPNY State Committee take formal action against Blay Tarnoff, Gary Donoyan and Chris Cantwell for causing this disruption at the worst possible time for the Libertarian Party of New York, when the statewide petition drive is almost upon us, thus placing their own personal agendas above the interests of the party.

Believes that the unprofessional actions and political inexperience of many on the LPNY State Committee are a literal detriment to the cause of liberty and that the Libertarian Party of Queens County has always considered and still considers Dr. Tom Stevens, its duly elected State Representative, to be an advocate for professionalism who always fulfilled his fiduciary responsibility and who raised issues that needed to be raised and asked questions that needed to be asked, however uncomfortable that made some people feel. That was his duty as LPQC's State Representative and the membership and leadership of the Libertarian Party of Queens County is extremely proud of Dr. Tom Stevens, who we consider to be one of the most principled and effective advocates for liberty in the Libertarian Party on a local, state and national level.

Applauds Dr. Tom Stevens for his service on the LPNY State Committee as our State Representative for which we thank him. Dr. Stevens has been elected and re-elected to serve as State Representative for the Libertarian Party of Queens County and in the past was elected and re-elected to serve as State Representative of the Manhattan Libertarian Party. Nothing in his actions or deeds justifies his membership suspension in the Libertarian Party of New York. The action taken by the LPNY State Committee in suspending his membership is reprehensible and unforgivable and creates a rift between the Libertarian Party of Queens County and the LPNY State Committee that shall not be overcome or placed behind us until a formal apology to Dr. Stevens is issued along with an invitation for him to return to the LPNY State Committee as State Representative for the Libertarian Party of Queens County.

Carl E. Person, LPNY's candidate for Attorney General, responded to the Stevens resignation by saying:

It's a shame that you have been subjected to all of this, and the LP (in all of its component organizations) is the clear loser. You have emerged as the winner, and are now free to devote your time to organizations willing to succeed at their claimed goals instead of pursuing paralytic bureaucratic practices. What do they plan to do for an encore?

Donald Silberger, LPNY Vice-Chair, responded as follows:

The party from which you resigned is in disarray. LP National has evidently tired of our repeated and far-off-the-mark claims that "this time we have an excellent chance to garner 50K votes"... when never once since 1972 have we gotten even half of that total. As it now stands, the LPNY may not even get its candidates on the NY State ballot...the LPNY continues to do the same things, to make the same outrageously optimistic predictions, to set the same senseless goals, to squander opportunities, to squabble and laze, and to repeat the same silly mistakes, season after season. And now they congratulate themselves for their successful vindictiveness; i.e., the party's "defending itself". I've had it! You are one of the most articulate people in the LPNY...Sheer envy? We should have been running you for office -- giving you a forum. Sheesh.

Dr. Tom Stevens will continue his libertarian activism both locally and nationally and will continue to promote libertarian and Objectivist principles through Rising Action and Libertarian Patriots of New York. He welcomes invitations from Libertarian State Parties that allow out-of-state members to join and participate and looks forward to attending future LPUS National Conventions just as he has enjoyed fully participating in the conventions that were held in Atlanta, Portland, Denver and St. Louis.

Sam Sloan Explains The Effect The Stevens Suspension Vote Had On His Decision To Sue The LPNY

There has been some speculation that the vote of the LPNY State Committee on June 6, 2010 to suspend the membership of Dr. Tom Stevens, the duly elected State Representative of the Libertarian Party of Queens County, affected the decision of Sam Sloan, the duly elected State Representative of the Manhattan Libertarian Party, to sue the Libertarian Party of New York and others regarding fraud alleged to have taken place during the vote for the gubernatorial nomination that took place at the LPNY State Convention on April 24, 2010 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Albany, New York.

On June 23, 2010, Sam Sloan clarified this matter when he posted the following statement:

The motion and vote against Stevens did not give me the "incentive" to file the court case. I was considering filing the case all along especially after the last court hearing where the judge virtually invited me to ask that Chris Edes be put in jail and to appeal to the Appellate Division. (Have you read the transcript?) However, the negative consideration against filing the case was that I found some value in being in the relatively good graces of the party membership. The vote to suspend and ultimately expel Stevens, a long time party activist (although not nearly so long as I have been) meant that being in good graces with the party leadership was not such a valuable thing and not a good reason not to file a court case that I believe should be filed and that I think I can win.

Dr. Tom Stevens responded:

The Libertarian Party of New York has not expelled me. They suspended my membership without proper notice on June 6, 2010 at a State Committee Meeting held by teleconference. The notice of charges was posted to the LPNY_Committee Yahoo Group at 8:38 p.m., seconds before the motion was made by Blay Tarnoff to suspend my membership. I have waived my right to a Hearing on June 27, 2010 since I think it is clear to all fair-minded people that I am not guilty of any of the charges that have been lodged against me. In fact, I am quite proud of all the issues I raised and all the questions I asked. As for Sam being disappointed by the unjustified actions of the State Committee against me, I can fully understand his feelings and how that may have played a factor in his filing this new lawsuit against the LPNY. I believe there are legitimate grounds for the relief he is seeking but you never know how the Judge is going to rule. Sam had agreed to a settlement proposal made by Carl Person and myself that would have resolved this whole issue leaving the slate of statewide nominated candidates in place but the settlement was rejected by LPNY Chair Mark Axinn, who was representing the party at the time. All I can say is that if my suspension is upheld by the State Committee on June 27, 2010, I fear that the infighting will only get worse and will harm the party for years to come.