[Lnc-business] Fwd: Re: The impending purge of Arvin Vohra

Elizabeth Van Horn elizabeth.vanhorn at lp.org
Sat Jan 20 05:11:57 EST 2018


Forwarding, so this correspondence is seen on the archives. 

-------- Original Message -------- 

 		SUBJECT:
 		Re: The impending purge of Arvin Vohra

 		DATE:
 		2018-01-20 04:58

 		FROM:
 		Elizabeth Van Horn <elizabeth.vanhorn at lp.org>

 		TO:
 		Scotty Boman <scottyboman at hotmail.com>

 		CC:
 		chair at lp.org, vicechair at lp.org, treasurer at lp.org, secretary at lp.org,
william.redpath at lp.org, sam.goldstein at lp.org, starchild at lp.org,
daniel.hayes at lp.org, joshua.katz at lp.org, caryn.ann.harlos at lp.org,
steven.nielson at lp.org, ed.marsh at lp.org, steven.nekhaila at lp.org,
dustin.nanna at lp.org, jeffrey.hewitt at lp.org, aaron.starr at lp.org,
james.lark at lp.org, trent.somes at lp.org, david.demarest at lp.org,
sean.otoole at lp.org, whitney.bilyeu at lp.org, erin.adams at lp.org,
patrick.mcknight at lp.org, larry.sharpe at lp.org

Hello Scotty, 

We met briefly, when I attended the LPMI convention this past year.
You're in Region 3, which I represent. I appreciate your stance
regarding waiting until convention to let the normal delegate process
take place.  That is my personal stance as well. That was my position,
when many outraged LP members last year were calling for Arvin to resign
or be removed.  I tried to do damage control and talk them back from
their stance. Regardless, this is now the situation:

LPIN made a resolution regarding Arvin Vohra, in November of 2017. It
was the LPIN SCC, of which I'm not a member, nor was I in attendance. I
didn't know it was happening, and was surprised when I found out. 

LPOH made a resolution regarding Arvin Vohra on Friday January 12th,
2018. It was the LPOH Executive Committee, of which I'm not a member,
nor was I in attendance. I knew nothing about the doings of the
committee, and only found out after the LPOH chair shared the
information in a Region 3 leaders group. 

Both LPIN and LPOH were directing me to take action to remove Arvin
Vohra, through the LNC board. I DIDN'T. Instead I told the Region 3
chairs, that since there are four state affiliates in Region 3, I'd need
a clear directive of 3/4 of the region. I brought this stipulation to
the attention of all four state affiliate chairs.  LPKY chair eventually
responded that he too was in accord. (LPMI still has it under
consideration, until a Feb meeting)  Should I act on my own accord? Or,
do I act as the state affiliates in the region ask me to? 

I want to be able to give voice to the LP members in Region 3. That's
what I signed up for, and that's what I told the Regional chairs I'd do.
Other than out-of-hand unethical actions, I'll try to stick to what
Region 3 wants. (Even if it's something I personally wouldn't do.) Yes,
I understand that you're in Region 3, and that you think your voice
isn't being heard.  Currently, we have a representative system in place
for the LNC.  That means that hundreds of LP members are all being
represented by one person.  (For At-Large Reps, it's thousands of LP
members being represented) If you think that the ability for suspension
of an officer shouldn't exist for the LNC, then it would need to be
changed in the LP-Bylaws.  Currently, there is a provision for doing so,
otherwise, this body wouldn't have this issue under consideration.   

I fully except you to vote your conscience at the 2018 NOLA convention,
as will I, as we are each individuals there, and have our one vote.  If
you chose to not vote for me to represent Region 3, I understand, and no
hard feelings.  

Kind regards, 
Elizabeth Van Horn 
---
Elizabeth Van Horn
LNC Region 3 (IN, MI, OH, KY)
Secretary Libertarian Party of Madison Co, Indiana
Chair-LP Social Media Process Review Committee
Vice-Chair Libertarian Pragmatist Caucus
http://www.lpcaucus.org/ 

On 2018-01-20 02:21, Scotty Boman wrote:

> Honorable LEC Members: 
> 
> I recently learned that you will soon be voting on the removal of Arvin Vohra from his office as Vice Chair.  In researching what actions by Arvin justified this, I have learned that there is nothing new or exceptional about his conduct that would warrant said removal.  I base this conclusion primarily on the words of the very people who want him removed. 
> 
> While there were some disturbing labels being pasted on him, all examples of substance showed that his critics wanted him to be removed for being the same person he was when he was elected by the delegation in 2016.  He is philosophically purist (AKA consistent). He is abrasively direct. He doesn't avoid third-rail issues. So there is no new heinous sin that calls for an exceptional action as the one being voted on.  If there was, I would have a different opinion than the one I'm expressing now.  
> 
> What we have then is a faction of LNC members who hope to have the numbers to purge someone who is other then them.  This is the kind of in-fighting that has been eating away at our party from the inside.  It is also a slap in the face to the delegates who elected a diverse LNC with the hope that you could all advance the Party together rather than trying to undo the will of the body. 
> 
> I was a delegate to the Convention in Orlando. I was part of the body that elected many of you.  Even if you don't think Arvin Vohra was the best choice for Vice Chair, he was the choice of the majority of national convention delegates. The idea that a small committee ( that was elected the same way ) believes they have the moral authority to over-ride the people who elected them is repugnant. If you don't respect our choices, then you have no right to expect our support. 
> 
> Even regional representatives were chosen by delegates at that convention (from their region), not just state chairs. 
> 
> If Arvin is removed by your vote, you will set a harmful precedent.  Not only will delegates be considering the talents, views or outreach styles of candidates; they will need to avoid giving any faction a majority for fear that the diversity they voted for will be destroyed by internal purges after the Convention closes. 
> 
> The next convention is only a few months away. This is the appropriate place to remove and elect officers, not under cover of darkness in a poorly publicized meeting.  
> 
> Please have that much respect for the delegates.  I have publicly, pledged to actively campaign against the election of any LNC member, who votes against the choice of the 2016 delegation, to any post in the LNC.
> 
> In liberty, 
> Scotty Boman 
> Libertarian Party Member 
> (313) 247-2052
-------------- next part --------------
   Forwarding, so this correspondence is seen on the archives.
   -------- Original Message --------

   Subject: Re: The impending purge of Arvin Vohra
   Date: 2018-01-20 04:58
   From: Elizabeth Van Horn <elizabeth.vanhorn at lp.org>
   To: Scotty Boman <scottyboman at hotmail.com>
   Cc: chair at lp.org, vicechair at lp.org, treasurer at lp.org, secretary at lp.org,
   william.redpath at lp.org, sam.goldstein at lp.org, starchild at lp.org,
   daniel.hayes at lp.org, joshua.katz at lp.org, caryn.ann.harlos at lp.org,
   steven.nielson at lp.org, ed.marsh at lp.org, steven.nekhaila at lp.org,
   dustin.nanna at lp.org, jeffrey.hewitt at lp.org, aaron.starr at lp.org,
   james.lark at lp.org, trent.somes at lp.org, david.demarest at lp.org,
   sean.otoole at lp.org, whitney.bilyeu at lp.org, erin.adams at lp.org,
   patrick.mcknight at lp.org, larry.sharpe at lp.org

   Hello Scotty,
   We met briefly, when I attended the LPMI convention this past year.
   You're in Region 3, which I represent. I appreciate your stance
   regarding waiting until convention to let the normal delegate process
   take place.  That is my personal stance as well. That was my position,
   when many outraged LP members last year were calling for Arvin to
   resign or be removed.  I tried to do damage control and talk them back
   from their stance. Regardless, this is now the situation:
   LPIN made a resolution regarding Arvin Vohra, in November of 2017. It
   was the LPIN SCC, of which I'm not a member, nor was I in attendance. I
   didn't know it was happening, and was surprised when I found out.
   LPOH made a resolution regarding Arvin Vohra on Friday January 12th,
   2018. It was the LPOH Executive Committee, of which I'm not a member,
   nor was I in attendance. I knew nothing about the doings of the
   committee, and only found out after the LPOH chair shared the
   information in a Region 3 leaders group.
   Both LPIN and LPOH were directing me to take action to remove Arvin
   Vohra, through the LNC board. I didn't. Instead I told the Region 3
   chairs, that since there are four state affiliates in Region 3, I'd
   need a clear directive of 3/4 of the region. I brought this stipulation
   to the attention of all four state affiliate chairs.  LPKY chair
   eventually responded that he too was in accord. (LPMI still has it
   under consideration, until a Feb meeting)  Should I act on my own
   accord? Or, do I act as the state affiliates in the region ask me to?

   I want to be able to give voice to the LP members in Region 3. That's
   what I signed up for, and that's what I told the Regional chairs I'd
   do. Other than out-of-hand unethical actions, I'll try to stick to what
   Region 3 wants. (Even if it's something I personally wouldn't do.) Yes,
   I understand that you're in Region 3, and that you think your voice
   isn't being heard.  Currently, we have a representative system in place
   for the LNC.  That means that hundreds of LP members are all being
   represented by one person.  (For At-Large Reps, it's thousands of LP
   members being represented) If you think that the ability for
   suspension of an officer shouldn't exist for the LNC, then it would
   need to be changed in the LP-Bylaws.  Currently, there is a provision
   for doing so, otherwise, this body wouldn't have this issue under
   consideration.


   I fully except you to vote your conscience at the 2018 NOLA convention,
   as will I, as we are each individuals there, and have our one vote.  If
   you chose to not vote for me to represent Region 3, I understand, and
   no hard feelings.
   Kind regards,
   Elizabeth Van Horn

   ---
   Elizabeth Van Horn
   LNC Region 3 (IN, MI, OH, KY)
   Secretary Libertarian Party of Madison Co, Indiana
   Chair-LP Social Media Process Review Committee
   Vice-Chair Libertarian Pragmatist Caucus
   [1]http://www.lpcaucus.org/

   On 2018-01-20 02:21, Scotty Boman wrote:


   Honorable LEC Members:

   I recently learned that you will soon be voting on the removal of Arvin
   Vohra from his office as Vice Chair.  In researching what actions by
   Arvin justified this, I have learned that there is nothing new or
   exceptional about his conduct that would warrant said removal.  I base
   this conclusion primarily on the words of the very people who want him
   removed.

   While there were some disturbing labels being pasted on him, all
   examples of substance showed that his critics wanted him to be removed
   for being the same person he was when he was elected by the delegation
   in 2016.  He is philosophically purist (AKA consistent). He is
   abrasively direct. He doesn't avoid third-rail issues. So there is no
   new heinous sin that calls for an exceptional action as the one being
   voted on.  If there was, I would have a different opinion than the one
   I'm expressing now.

   What we have then is a faction of LNC members who hope to have the
   numbers to purge someone who is other then them.  This is the kind of
   in-fighting that has been eating away at our party from the inside.  It
   is also a slap in the face to the delegates who elected a diverse LNC
   with the hope that you could all advance the Party together rather than
   trying to undo the will of the body.
   I was a delegate to the Convention in Orlando. I was part of the body
   that elected many of you.  Even if you don't think Arvin Vohra was the
   best choice for Vice Chair, he was the choice of the majority of
   national convention delegates. The idea that a small committee ( that
   was elected the same way ) believes they have the moral authority to
   over-ride the people who elected them is repugnant. If you don't
   respect our choices, then you have no right to expect our support.

   Even regional representatives were chosen by delegates at that
   convention (from their region), not just state chairs.

   If Arvin is removed by your vote, you will set a harmful precedent.
   Not only will delegates be considering the talents, views or outreach
   styles of candidates; they will need to avoid giving any faction a
   majority for fear that the diversity they voted for will be destroyed
   by internal purges after the Convention closes.

   The next convention is only a few months away. This is the appropriate
   place to remove and elect officers, not under cover of darkness in a
   poorly publicized meeting.

   Please have that much respect for the delegates.  I have publicly,
   pledged to actively campaign against the election of any LNC member,
   who votes against the choice of the 2016 delegation, to any post in the
   LNC.
   In liberty,
   Scotty Boman
   Libertarian Party Member
   (313) 247-2052

References

   1. http://www.lpcaucus.org/


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