<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Script MT Bold";
panose-1:3 4 6 2 4 6 7 8 9 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Dear LNC members,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For your consideration, here is the text on an email I received this morning regarding Bylaws & Rules Committee transparency:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i>“William Trew Merrick <a href="mailto:william@trewmerrick.com">william@trewmerrick.com</a><o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Dear Dave Demarest,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>As an entrepreneur, I understand genuine needs for secrecy and closed doors - even in organizations such as this Libertarian Party. However, in my professional and personal life, I have always considered these as exceptions that come with good reason.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>It is with this understanding that I am writing to you out of concern for the lack of transparency in the Libertarian Party's Bylaws committee. It was my belief as I joined this part that I was joining a party of openly active people sharing such a fundamental common ground that transparency would naturally be the rule, not the exception, of such an important committee.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Needless to say it is troubling to find out that there are people on this committee who refuse to define to the members of the party those reasons for closed door sessions as a standard.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>What is the reason? Do they think we will not understand calls for closed sessions? It is even more concerning that those who stand for the status quo are not (so far as I know) making a public case for their position, opting instead to simply maintain this position without clarification.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>The Bylaws Committee is very important and its proceedings ought to be open by default. If there are discussions that need to happen in a closed session, the reasons should be clear and therefore party members will understand. I believe that this approach will build trust and can only work to strengthen the Libertarian Party. If there are those on the Bylaws Committee who see otherwise, I humbly ask they forgive my ignorance and enlighten me to their reason.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Sincerely and with the Best Personal Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>William Trew Merrick</span>”</i><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thoughts?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Script MT Bold"'>~David<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='color:#1F497D'>2018 Omaha Roads to Liberty Un-Convention<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>~David Pratt Demarest<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>LNC Region 6 Representative (IA, IL, MN, MO, ND, NE, WI)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Secretary, LPNE State Central Committee<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Cell: 402-981-6469<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Home: 402-493-0873<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>