Several fellow Libertarian National Committee (LNC) members have asked for an explanation of events leading to the recent loss of Lee Wrights' eligibility to serve as a member of the LNC.

Here is the story, as I know it.

In November 2008, I was rereading the Bylaws and read Section 8, Article 4, which states, "A National Committee member shall be a sustaining member of the Party, and shall not be the candidate of any party except the Party or an affiliate."

I then called Aaron Starr about this, and asked him to ascertain whether all LNC members were sustaining members.  I may have called Bob Sullentrup about this, as well, but I don't recall for sure.

Aaron contacted Robert Kraus at LPHQ, and it is my understanding that Robert produced a list for Aaron of LNC members and their sustaining membership expiration dates (unless that member was a life member).  All LNC members were sustaining members, at that time, and Aaron so informed me.

I never saw this list with expiration dates, but Aaron did.  He noticed that several LNC members had expiration dates in early 2009, including Lee Wrights, who Aaron saw had an expiration date in April.  Aaron tells me that he forgot about this list until Monday, April 6, on which day it dawned on him that this was about the time of Lee Wrights' sustaining membership expiration.

He called Robert Kraus that day and learned that Lee Wrights' sustaining membership started on (I believe) April 8, 2008, and had not yet been renewed.  Aaron called me on, I recall, the  evening of Tuesday, April 7, and told me that Lee's sustaining membership was about to expire.  It is my understanding that Bob Sullentrup was not informed of Lee's impending sustaining membership expiration until sometime on Wednesday, April 8.

I waited a week after Lee's expiration date to see if his sustaining membership renewal payment showed up in the mail.  It did not.  The Bylaws, in my opinion, plainly read that Lee was no longer eligible to serve on the LNC.  The Bylaws don't allow exceptions to this.  Bob Sullentrup notified the Committee of the new vacancy.  I directed Robert Kraus to remove Lee from the LNC Discuss List, and to remove him from the list of LNC members on lp.org <http://lp.org>.

I have been asked why I didn't pickup the phone and call or email Lee Wrights to notify him of the impending expiration of his sustaining membership, and the implication of that for his membership on the LNC. I was in a quandary about what to do.  Part of me did think that that
was the most prudent course of action for both the Party and the LNC. But, in the end, I could not bring myself to do it.

First, it is not my job as Chairman to remind individual members to renew their sustaining memberships.  So, for me to call Lee would have
been a matter of courtesy.  It was my judgment at that time that he did not deserve that, as he has shown a lack of courtesy through what at times has been egregiously rude behavior to his fellow members on this Committee, to LNC staff, and to me, particularly at the San Diego meeting and thereafter.  (Although I am not on the APRC email list, I have been told he had behaved very uncivilly at times with his postings to that list.)  For him to expect courtesy while treating others so badly is hypocritical.

In particular, it is my understanding that Lee posted a commentary by Sean Haugh to libertyforall.net <http://libertyforall.net> on the day after the San Diego meeting that other people have told me they thought was defamatory to me.  I certainly thought it was, and, in my opinion, to the best of my knowledge, it was also defamatory to M Carling, former LNC member and current LP parliamentarian.

Lee has told us that his failure to renew his sustaining membership before expiration was inadvertent.  Maybe this is true, but based on the
LNC's financial donation records, it appears that each of the three times that Lee has been on the LNC, either he ran for election when he was not eligible to do so, or he lost eligibility to serve on the LNC after his election.  There is a pattern here that should not be ignored.

Lee has asserted to me that I am trying to "run the radicals off the LNC."  That is not so.  My problem with Lee Wrights has only to do with his behavior.

While I certainly admit that I am not an "LP Radical," I have striven to be fair in my role as Chair, as that is an important quality to have in that position.  As a part of that fairness, non-life members of this LNC should note that, as long as I am Chairman, I will not be reminding  them in any manner to maintain their sustaining memberships.  That will ultimately be their responsibility.

I regret that what I consider a straightforward application of the Bylaws to Lee's failure to remain eligible has caused this controversy. Also, I apologize for the delay in getting this information to you.  You have every right to know what happened.  In addition to my work and LP matters, I have been preparing for a professional examination in the near future and dealing with the impending death of a long-time friend.

I know some of you think that I erred in not calling Lee as a courtesy to remind him about his expiring sustaining membership.  Fair enough.  I
understand your position.  If I had inadvertently failed to take care of a required task, I would want my colleagues to give me a heads-up, and I'd be hurt if they didn't give me one.

However, I hope you understand my position.  I think Lee used up his ration of goodwill a long time ago.  He has no right to complain about not receiving special courtesy when he fails to show basic courtesy to others.

If you decide to reelect him to the LNC, I will treat him in exactly the same way as any other LNC member.  If he decides to act with courtesy,
he will certainly receive the same courtesy from me.

Thank you very much.