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<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>Mr. Executive Director:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>Does your e-mail below mean that
you and the Operations Director are disregarding the directive that I copied
from the LP web site about an hour ago?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'> <a
href="https://www.lp.org/membership-levels"
title="https://www.lp.org/membership-levels">https://www.lp.org/membership-levels</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>
“</span></font><font color=black><span style='color:windowtext'>Convention
registration fees do not count towards association levels.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>I have a capture of that web page
in case the Chair, or anyone else, wishes to examine the evidence.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'> Scott Lieberman<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
color=black face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:windowtext'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1>
</span></font></div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 color=black face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:windowtext;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font
size=2 color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:windowtext'> Lnc-business [mailto:lnc-business-bounces@hq.lp.org] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Wes Benedict<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Tuesday, April 28, 2015 7:03
AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> lnc-business@hq.lp.org<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [Lnc-business]
requesting co-sponsors for expedited email ballot</span></font><font
color=black><span style='color:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Robert Kraus and I
interpreted the bylaws to mean that the convention registration counts as
Sustaining membership. Obviously Alicia Mattson sees things differently. <br>
<br>
Sustaining membership is different from the benefits lapse date. It is
confusing.<br>
<br>
I didn't design our complicated membership plan, but I did put forth a genuine
effort to explain it on page 15 of this LP News:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
<a href="http://www.lp.org/files/lp_news/2014-4_LP_News.pdf">http://www.lp.org/files/lp_news/2014-4_LP_News.pdf</a><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Wes Benedict, Executive
Director<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=2 color=black
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=2 color=black
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGg<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'
cite="mid:CA+Jr9xEDFuBJKWrKjpXVhWhK-y+7-_99BMHVNJeZWkbOxJNROA@mail.gmail.com"
type=cite>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Since I know that some humans have a tendency to stop
reading an email if it's more than two paragraphs long, let me point out that
at the end of this message I am requesting sponsors for an expedited email
ballot.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
Previously this term it has been necessary to deal with the reality that LNC
members are to be sustaining members of the Party. In the previous case,
I raised a point of order because an at-large LNC member who had been a
sustaining member at the convention when he was elected had since allowed his
sustaining status to lapse. At its December, 2014 meeting, the LNC
re-appointed that member to the seat after the sustaining status was
reinstated.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>As the Secretary has
specific duties related to credentialing questions and determinations of
sustaining membership counts, now it is my job to once again raise a point of
order regarding a member's status.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>For convenience, I have copied the relevant bylaw
provisions below:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Bylaws Article 5.3:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div style='margin-left:33.5pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>"Sustaining member” is any Party member who
has given at least $25 to the Party in the prior twelve months, or who is a
life member.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
Bylaws Article 5.6:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<div style='margin-left:33.5pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
Only sustaining members shall be counted for delegate apportionment and
National Committee representation. Only sustaining members shall be eligible to
hold National Party office or be a candidate for President or Vice-President.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Bylaws Article 8.4:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div style='margin-left:33.5pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>During our 3/29/15 <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Phoenix</st1:place></st1:City> meeting, Doug
Craig was declared elected to the at-large vacancy. On 4/16/15, Robert
Kraus informed me, Wes Benedict and Nick Sarwark that Doug Craig had lapsed but
that he had renewed on 4/16/15.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>I asked for clarity on
what date Mr. Craig had lapsed because it matters procedurally whether the
lapse occurred before or after the 3/29/15 meeting in which the LNC elected him
to the at-large vacancy.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Raiser's Edge records
indicate that his last sustaining-level donation had been on 7/26/13.
Since then the only transactions had been his purchase of a convention package
on 5/6/14, and then his sustaining-level renewal on 4/16/15.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>I look at Bylaw Article
5.3 and see that a person must have "given" at least $25 in the prior
12 months, or be a life member. Since Mr. Craig is not a life member, the
question is whether he had given at least $25 in the 12 months prior to 3/29/15
when the LNC acted to fill the vacancy. To me, "giving" money
is a very different thing from a purchase of goods/services such as a
convention package or a t-shirt, so I do not think that the convention package
qualifies towards sustaining membership.<br>
<br>
My conclusion is that Mr. Craig's sustaining membership lapsed on 7/26/14 (one
year after his 7/26/13 donation), and that it wasn't renewed until
4/16/15. That would mean he was not a sustaining member on 3/29/15 when
the LNC took action regarding the vacancy.<br>
<br>
Given my conclusion that he was not a sustaining member at the time, I believe
the motion adopted to name him to the at-large vacancy is null and void because
it violated the bylaws which require sustaining membership for LNC members.<br>
<br>
For convenient reference, relevant citations from Robert's Rules are below:<br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>RONR p. 430-431, 439 make
it clear that in an election, members may only vote for eligible nominees, thus
votes cast for an ineligible person are actually illegal votes.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>RONR p. 445, regarding
challenging an election, states:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div style='margin-left:33.5pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>"Otherwise, an
election may be contested only by raising a point of order. The general rule is
that such a point of order must be timely, as described on page 250, line 30 to
page 251, line 2. If an election is disputed on the ground that a quorum was
not present, the provisions on page 349, lines 21–28, apply. Other
exceptions to the general timeliness requirement are those that come within the
five categories listed on page 251, lines 9–23, in which cases a point of
order can be made at any time during the continuance in office of the
individual declared elected. For example: <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div style='margin-left:33.5pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> • If an
individual does not meet the qualifications for the post established in the
bylaws, his or her election is tantamount to adoption of a main motion that
conflicts with the bylaws...."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Here is the relevant
portion of the cross-referenced passage on RONR p. 251:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div style='margin-left:33.5pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>"The only exceptions
to the rule that a point of order must be made at the time of the breach arise
in connection with breaches that are of a continuing nature, in which case a
point of order can be made at any time during the continuance of the breach.
Instances of this kind occur when: <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div style='margin-left:33.5pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>
a) a main motion has been adopted that conflicts with the
bylaws (or constitution) of the organization or assembly,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div style='margin-left:33.5pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><i><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-style:italic'>[items (b) through (e) snipped for
brevity]</span></font></i><br>
<br>
In all such cases, it is never too late to raise a point of order since any
action so taken is null and void. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>My conclusion is that
according to our rules, Mr. Craig's election was in violation of the bylaws,
thus that motion is null and void and we still have an at-large vacancy.
Now that Mr. Craig has renewed his sustaining membership, he is eligible to be
properly elected to that vacancy.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>We just need to proceed
to act again to fill the vacancy. I suspect that the outcome of a second
vote now will be the same as it was then, but we should go through the process
of doing it properly so as to remove any cloud of doubt. Making the
effort to do it properly will show respect to the rules, and it settles the
question now so that it won't come up later if a contentious vote is decided by
a margin of Mr. Craig's vote.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>At this time I'm raising a point of order that Mr.
Craig's election on 3/29/15 is null and void because it violated the bylaw
requirement that LNC members must be sustaining members of the party.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color="#888888" face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#888888'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Unfortunately, I am not bringing this up at the most
ideal time. My to-do list following the <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Phoenix</st1:place></st1:City> meeting was much larger than
usual. When this was first brought to my attention, I didn't have the
bandwidth to fully process it immediately, and it just got added to my to-do
list. If the chair or I had brought this matter to you earlier, we would
have had more breathing room to address this before our May 3 electronic
meeting.<br>
<br>
I was just thinking we could address it on May 3, but as I started writing this
message it occurred to me that the electronic meetings are special meetings, so
we can't add agenda items at the last minute. We could address a
credentialing question of who is eligible to vote during the meeting, but we
couldn't add an agenda item for filling a vacancy.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>There is still an option for the full LNC to address
the issue before then, though. Mail ballots can end early <u>if all LNC
members will promptly vote or specifically abstain rather than waiting the full
10 days</u>. With cooperation from all of you, we can still finish an
email ballot before May 3. <br>
<br>
I spoke in favor of another candidate for this position, but I'm willing to
co-sponsor an email ballot so the LNC can have a chance to resolve the matter
before our May 3 meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>I'm asking that either
the chair sponsor, or 3 other LNC members promptly co-sponsor with me an email
ballot to elect Doug Craig to the at-large vacancy created by Evan McMahon's
resignation.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<pre><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'> Alicia <o:p></o:p></span></font></pre></blockquote>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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