[Lnc-business] Policy citations for our review
Elizabeth Van Horn
elizabeth.vanhorn at lp.org
Sat Feb 24 14:05:09 EST 2018
Caryn Ann, why do you keep using words like sinister? I certainly
didn't.
I wrote: "It's inappropriate to let caucuses avail themselves of items
paid for by the LP members."
Elizabeth Van Horn
On 2018-02-24 13:45, Caryn Ann Harlos wrote:
> And here we go again. I asked. There is nothing sinister in asking
> and a resource that sits unused could be made available to everyone.
> On Sat, Feb 24, 2018 at 10:56 AM Elizabeth Van Horn
> <[1]elizabeth.vanhorn at lp.org> wrote:
>
> Caryn Ann, you wrote:
> The deciding factor there was our contractual agreement with Adobe
> that
> you must be present to administer all meetings. Libertarians
> keep
> contracts and that was unworkable. Nick was perfectly
> amenable
> in
> letting other groups use it and making that widely known until
> that
> came up. You could not be expected to attend all those
> meetings. I
> think that personally was a bad deal to sign up for and that
> there
> are
> much better conferencing options (and cheaper) that could be
> used by
> more people, but that wasn't the issue then. When adobe
> renewal
> comes
> up, there are far better options that don't require reliance
> on
> one
> person.
> -------------
> Was the possibility of caucuses using the Adobe platform, which is
> contracted with the LP, ever discussed by this board? This is
> another
> instance where party assets are okd for use, and this board should
> have
> been made aware. So, I'm asking, was this discussed by the LNC?
> Also, for the record: The LPCaucus would have soundly rejected
> any
> offer from LP national to use LP assets in this manner. (If such
> an
> offer had been made) Principles matter, we'd find it wrong to
> compromise
> our principals, even to benefit our group. The LPC doesn't
> approve
> of
> frivolous use of LP assets. It doesn't matter if there's an
> ill-advised
> contract and an item isn't used much. It's inappropriate to let
> caucuses avail themselves of items paid for by the LP members.
> ---
> Elizabeth Van Horn
> On 2018-02-24 04:56, Caryn Ann Harlos wrote:
> > ==Earlier this term, Mr. Sarwark instructed staff to provide to
> Ms.
> > Harlos the login information for the LNC's Adobe Connect
> account
> > so
> > that the Radical Caucus could use it for their caucus
> meeting.
> > Staff
> > then sent me a request to remind them of the login
> information.
> > We
> > don't have an LNC policy specifically about the use of
> party
> > assets
> > by
> > caucuses, however I objected based on the recurring theme
> of
> the
> > other
> > LNC policies, and this offer was not being extended to all
> > caucuses,
> > and the idea died there with Ms. Harlos agreeing that the
> Radical
> > Caucus would find another meeting option.===
> > The deciding factor there was our contractual agreement with
> Adobe
> > that
> > you must be present to administer all meetings. Libertarians
> keep
> > contracts and that was unworkable. Nick was perfectly
> amenable
> in
> > letting other groups use it and making that widely known
> until
> that
> > came up. You could not be expected to attend all those
> meetings. I
> > think that personally was a bad deal to sign up for and that
> there
> > are
> > much better conferencing options (and cheaper) that could be
> used by
> > more people, but that wasn't the issue then. When adobe
> renewal
> > comes
> > up, there are far better options that don't require reliance
> on
> one
> > person.
> > ==Policy Manual Section 2.03.4 : Conventions==
> > This is speaking about national party conventions and
> delegates.
> > == Policy Manual Section 2.03.5 : Credit Card and Expense
> > Reimbursements==
> > == NOTE: This allows travel reimbursements for
> "officers".===
> > That is a good point and a very good catch but in context it
> > certainly
> > is in the context of the reality that officers will have to
> > regularly
> > do this and there was to be no question that it could be
> reimbursed.
> > It does not say or imply that others could not be only that
> such was
> > not an expected guarantee. The main take away here is Party
> related
> > activities.
> > == Policy Manual Section 2.03.9 : Related Party Reporting==
> > And the treasurer had all this noted for the next report
> which
> is
> > when
> > it would have been included as per this section.
> > == Policy Manual Section 2.08.2 : Limitations on Party
> Support for
> > Public
> > Office==
> > Not running for public office.
> > ==Policy Manual Section 2.09.6 : Limitations on Party
> Support
> for
> > Party
> > Office
> > "Party resources shall not be used to provide information
> or
> > services
> > for any candidate for party office unless:
> > * such information or services are available and
> announced
> on
> > an
> > equal basis to all Libertarians who have DECLARED they
> are
> > seeking
> > that office, or=== [emphasis added]
> > I have not declared and this section obviously again means
> > information
> > and services related to that campaign. Or does that mean you
> can no
> > longer ask for services or information that have nothing to
> do
> with
> > campaigning unless it is offered to me (if I declared)? Of
> course
> > not. This is about providing support for campaigns for
> DECLARED
> > Party
> > candidates. I was neither campaigning nor was I declared.
> > == Policy Manual Section 3.03.1 : Affiliate Relationships
> > "Special agreements with states require the approval of
> the
> > LNC."==
> > I also have no idea what this means, but I cannot conceive of
> any
> > intent in which it would apply here.
> > No policies were violated. You can have your opinion that
> wrong
> > discretion was used and that is fair. And subjective. I
> followed
> > the
> > rules and directions and got the appropriate approvals.
> >
> > On Sat, Feb 24, 2018 at 1:37 AM, Alicia Mattson
> > <[1][2]alicia.mattson at lp.org> wrote:
> >
> > Below I'm going to quote a number of LNC policies that
> we
> > should
> > keep
> > in mind for evaluating the subject of the day.
> > There is a large body of LNC policy establishing a
> framework of
> > keeping
> > things on an even playing field. Some of the policies
> were
> > specifically written after real-life experience with a
> > situation
> > that
> > generated objections.
> > Our policies require fairness regarding use of party
> assets by
> > pre-nomination candidates for public office, or for
> internal
> > party
> > office. Our policies forbid giving some national
> convention
> > delegates
> > financial advantages over others. Our policies require
> that
> > "special"
> > agreements with affiliates (agreements not offered to
> all)
> > require LNC
> > approval. Our policies require advance approval of
> related
> > party
> > transactions and then various financial disclosures
> beyond
> just
> > FEC
> > reporting.
> > Earlier this term, Mr. Sarwark instructed staff to
> provide
> to
> > Ms.
> > Harlos the login information for the LNC's Adobe Connect
> > account
> > so
> > that the Radical Caucus could use it for their caucus
> meeting.
> > Staff
> > then sent me a request to remind them of the login
> information.
> > We
> > don't have an LNC policy specifically about the use of
> party
> > assets by
> > caucuses, however I objected based on the recurring
> theme
> of
> > the
> > other
> > LNC policies, and this offer was not being extended to
> all
> > caucuses,
> > and the idea died there with Ms. Harlos agreeing that
> the
> > Radical
> > Caucus would find another meeting option.
> > I think the current situation may run afoul of some of
> our
> > policies
> > below, but we shouldn't have to write a policy to
> anticipate
> > every
> > potential idea that might arise. There's enough
> collective
> > experience
> > on this board that good judgment should be able to spot
> the bad
> > optics
> > here.
> > Policy Manual Section 2.03.4 : Conventions
> > "The Party shall not directly or indirectly compensate
> or
> > otherwise
> > underwrite or subsidize the convention travel, lodging
> > (excepting
> > room
> > upgrades which the Party received at no cost),
> entertainment
> > costs or
> > speaker fees/honorariums of any Convention delegates.
> This
> > policy
> > shall
> > not prohibit the Party from underwriting organized
> convention
> > events
> > offered to all donors of a particular level. Nor shall
> it
> > prohibit
> > delegates from receiving complementary meals or access
> to
> > convention
> > events in rough proportion to their level of volunteer
> work.
> > All
> > volunteer compensation must be approved by the
> Convention
> > Oversight
> > Committee, and contemporaneously published when actual
> > compensation is
> > received."
> > Policy Manual Section 2.03.5 : Credit Card and Expense
> > Reimbursements
> > "... Travel expenses incurred by officers for the
> explicit
> > purpose of
> > conducting Party business (excluding those incurred for
> the
> > purpose of
> > attending LNC meetings) may be reimbursed. Business
> travel
> > expenses
> > not pre-authorized by the LNC must be deemed necessary
> and
> > approved in
> > writing by the Chair to qualify for reimbursement. All
> travel
> > expense
> > reports are to be audited by the Treasurer, and approved
> by the
> > Treasurer and the Chair."
> > NOTE: This allows travel reimbursements for "officers".
> > Policy Manual Section 2.03.9 : Related Party Reporting
> > "For each related party engaging in one or more
> financial
> > transactions
> > with the Party, all interim financial statements shall
> include
> > a
> > report
> > of the status, nature and current and year-to-date
> amounts
> with
> > respect
> > to such transactions, including contributions, expenses,
> loans,
> > commitments, guarantees or any other transaction."
> > Policy Manual Section 2.04.3 : Contracts and Contract
> Approval
> > "All contracts or modifications thereto shall be in
> writing and
> > shall
> > document the nature of the products or services to be
> provided
> > and the
> > terms and conditions with respect to the amount of
> > compensation/reimbursement or other consideration to be
> paid.
> > ...
> > No
> > agreement involving a financial transaction with a
> related
> > party
> > shall
> > be executed unless first approved by the LNC. Any such
> > agreement
> > shall
> > be disclosed in a conflict of interest statement."
> > Policy Manual Section 2.08.2 : Limitations on Party
> Support
> > for
> > Public
> > Office
> > "Party resources shall not be used to provide
> information
> or
> > services
> > for any candidate for public office prior to the
> nomination
> > unless:
> > * such information or services are available and
> announced on
> > an
> > equal basis to all Libertarians who have declared
> they
> are
> > seeking
> > that nomination,
> > * such information or services are generally available
> and
> > announced
> > to all party members, or
> > * the service or candidate has been approved by the
> state
> > chair."
> > Policy Manual Section 2.09.6 : Limitations on Party
> Support
> > for
> > Party
> > Office
> > "Party resources shall not be used to provide
> information
> or
> > services
> > for any candidate for party office unless:
> > * such information or services are available and
> announced on
> > an
> > equal basis to all Libertarians who have declared
> they
> are
> > seeking
> > that office, or
> > * such information or services are generally available
> and
> > announced
> > to all party members."
> > Policy Manual Section 3.03.1 : Affiliate Relationships
> > "Special agreements with states require the approval of
> the
> > LNC."
> > NOTE: I am not certain the exact motivation for adding
> this
> > language,
> > but it may have been one of the following. It could
> have
> been
> > during
> > Project Archimedes in which states with partisan voter
> > registration
> > were targeted for membership drives because there
> already
> > existed
> > a
> > list of people in that state who are philosophically
> aligned
> > with
> > the
> > party. It could have been a situation during the
> Unified
> > Membership
> > Program in which an affiliate combined state-specific
> mailings
> > with LP
> > News. It didn't cost the LNC additional expense. The
> > affiliate
> > paid
> > the marginal cost of the extra postage, and the LNC paid
> the
> > same
> > postage they would have otherwise incurred for LP News.
> > -Alicia
> >
> > References
> >
> > 1. mailto:[3]alicia.mattson at lp.org
>
> References
>
> 1. mailto:elizabeth.vanhorn at lp.org
> 2. mailto:alicia.mattson at lp.org
> 3. mailto:alicia.mattson at lp.org
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