[Lnc-business] Policy citations for our review

Elizabeth Van Horn elizabeth.vanhorn at lp.org
Sat Feb 24 18:38:35 EST 2018


No idea what you're talking about?


---
Elizabeth Van Horn


On 2018-02-24 17:34, Caryn Ann Harlos wrote:
> Since the goal was to open up to everyone and a cost was discussed to
>    defray the Party’s yearly cost therecead ZERO inappropriateness in
>    making the request.
> 
>    I use the word sinister because you have quite a talent at finding
>    hidden meanings in so many things.
> 
>    Joshua makes a statement and you assume he was making a dig st you.
> 
>    Nick posts an email from 2015 and you think it’s about you.
> 
>    I invite people to call me to be personae and you turn it into
>    something to be wary off and hypocritical.
> 
>    I offer to volunteer and that is “odd” and “disturbing”
> 
>    I look forward to how you will turn this into something else.  It’s
>    been quite amazing.  And by amazing I mean singularly unpleasant.
> 
>    On Sat, Feb 24, 2018 at 12:05 PM Elizabeth Van Horn
>    <[1]elizabeth.vanhorn at lp.org> wrote:
> 
>      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][2]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][3]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][4]alicia.mattson at lp.org
>      >
>      > References
>      >
>      >    1. mailto:[5]elizabeth.vanhorn at lp.org
>      >    2. mailto:[6]alicia.mattson at lp.org
>      >    3. mailto:[7]alicia.mattson at lp.org
> 
> References
> 
>    1. mailto:elizabeth.vanhorn at lp.org
>    2. mailto:elizabeth.vanhorn at lp.org
>    3. mailto:alicia.mattson at lp.org
>    4. mailto:alicia.mattson at lp.org
>    5. mailto:elizabeth.vanhorn at lp.org
>    6. mailto:alicia.mattson at lp.org
>    7. mailto:alicia.mattson at lp.org



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