Is Richard Viguerie Trying To Buy The Libertarian Party

[Alex Libman]

This just came through the LP Restoration Caucus mailing list -- Is [Moonie Wingnut] Richard Viguerie Trying To Buy The Libertarian Party? --

Recent developments in the weeks leading up to the Libertarian national convention (May 22-26) show a disturbing pattern. While none of them is sinister by itself, they all add up to a strong indication that "outside" forces are in the process of trying to take over the LP and turn it into an arm of the conservative movement.

First, the convention organizers were told that they MUST have former Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia as the convention's keynote speaker. When Barr became a Presidential candidate [SITE], they were then told that his replacement would be fund-raiser Richard Viguerie, a conservative Republican and strong Barr supporter. This choice was imposed on BetteRose Ryan, the convention manager, against her will -- even though dozens of LIBERTARIAN speakers were available and eager to fill the keynote slot.

BetteRose was also told that she MUST invite Neal Boortz, another Barr supporter, to be the speaker at the Sunday Banquet. Boortz had to cancel because of knee surgery, but the pattern of placing Barr supporters in all of the prominent speaking spots has continued.

Yesterday it was announced that Mr. Viguerie has purchased the popular blog Third Party Watch (see here), which until now has been a largely unmoderated site where proponents and opponents of all third party candidates express their views. This morning, longtime libertarian activist Tom Knapp attempted to post a message about a story in the Atlanta Journal Constitution which is highly critical of Bob Barr. Within minutes, his post was deleted! (The AJC story can be read here.)

Clearly, Barr and Viguerie are attempting to gain control of the LP so that Barr can campaign on a conservative / libertarian hybrid platform and Viguerie can extend his fundraising empire into the libertarian quadrant of the political universe. If they succeed, the Libertarian Party will become just one more mouthpiece for malcontent Republicans.

What can we, as Libertarians, do about this?

First we must unite behind one of the Presidential candidates who have signed the Restore '04 petition. They are: Steve Kubby, George Phillies, Mary Ruwart, and Christine Smith. As events unfold at the convention in Denver and it becomes evident which of these four enjoys the most support, we must quickly rally to support that candidate. Otherwise, the Viguerie / Barr juggernaut will steamroll its way to the nomination.

Second, we must unite behind one of the two National Chair candidates who support the Restoration effort: Ruth Bennett or Ernest Hancock. We should know after the first ballot who is the stronger candidate.

The 2008 convention is shaping up to be the most critical in the party's history since 1983. Be there if you can!

And please forward this message to every Libertarian on your mailing list. Now.

David F. Nolan
Restoration Caucus Founder [and the Founding Father of the American Libertarian Party]

The plot thickens!

[ADDED DIGG]

[mdh]

I'm working on a response to this and have reached out to some folks in regards to how that response will come about.

[constituent]

short answer?

you mean that wasn't what his whole rp website data mining operation was about?


real question:

anyone not see this coming?

[Alex Libman]

Added DIGG:

http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/Is_Moonie_Wingnut_Richard_Viguerie_trying_to_buy_the_LP

(I got this article via an e-mail mailing list and couldn't find it anywhere on WWW yet. The forum where I posted it so I could spread it to sites like Digg is a bit rowdy, but RonPaulForum.com is banned from hosting Digg articles.)

Please go to Restore04.com and sign the petition to keep the Libertarian Party truly "the party of principle".

[crazyfingers]

I'm not happy about his purchase of TPW. I really liked that website. I was looking forward to the coverage of the LP convention. Now I won't even be able to read it knowing that Viguerie is behind it.

[mdh]

Apparently Viguerie now has the power to kill press credentials. What the heck is going on?

http://lastfreevoice.wordpress.com/2...s-credentials/

[Bradley in DC]

Oh for Pete's sake. Who is the mysterious unnamed person(s) who told the convention head what she had to do and whom it would be? This is just silly.

Barr, not only an LP member but a member of the LNC, is trying to take over the party!

[Kludge]

*shrug* I have nothing against conservatives and would love to see them working in the LP.

[mdh]

I don't know that it's fair to lump Barr and Viguerie together in the poll, by the way.

Barr is a well-respected member of the LP community, has served on the LNC, and is seeking the LP presidential nomination.

Viguerie isn't even a member of the party, as far as I know. He's certainly not an established member who has served the party in a role such as Barr has.

[yongrel]

I don't care who joins the LP, but Dick Viguerie data harvested a lot of Ron Paul supporters by pretending to be a grassroots leader. Bastard.

[Virginia Libertarian]

I think this is pretty ridiculous...

[mdh]

This is going to be a very interesting week.

[Bradley in DC]

I don't care who joins the LP, but Dick Viguerie data harvested a lot of Ron Paul supporters by pretending to be a grassroots leader. Bastard.

Viguereie IS a RP supporter...(and he does collect addresses).

[mdh]

Viguereie IS a RP supporter...(and he does collect addresses).

I remember him coming out and specifically saying he didn't endorse Ron Paul when the questions about his website popped up? Could've just been something someone in our movement said, but I believe they were quoting Viguerie directly? Hmmm.

Anyways, this situation with Viguerie worries me. I don't like the idea of potential hostile takeover shenanigans.

It's unfair to tie it to Bob Barr though. Barr and Viguerie are totally different people with totally different credentials in the LP (that is to say Barr's are substantial, while Viguerie isn't even a member to my knowledge). Barr has earned the LP credibility he has.

[Bradley in DC]

I remember him coming out and specifically saying he didn't endorse Ron Paul when the questions about his website popped up? Could've just been something someone in our movement said, but I believe they were quoting Viguerie directly? Hmmm.

I didn't say "endorse" but a friend (who used to work for the national LP) has an RP yard sign in his office there working for Viquerie that he got from Richard who I think was part of the America's Freedom Agenda that had Dr. Paul at their inaugural press conference.

[NewFederalist]

Anyways, this situation with Viguerie worries me. I don't like the idea of potential hostile takeover shenanigans.

Other than potentially 48 state ballot access what exactly is there to take over? This is just another drama in the long and insignificant history of the LP. Don't get me wrong, this whole purchase of TPW and the timing and such is certainly interesting but c'mon it sure isn't the end of the world. If anything it will harden the resolve of the more idealistic delegates and make it even less likely that Barr will win the nomination. Watch how fast Viguerie exits when Ruwart or Kubby or Phillies gets the nod!

[Bradley in DC]

http://www.ballot-access.org/2008/05...hard-viguerie/

Former Libertarian Party National Director Begins Working for Richard Viguerie
May 19th, 2008
Shane Cory had been the Libertarian Party’s national director for many years, but he resigned recently. He has now shifted to working for the Richard Viguerie organization. As noted in an earlier post, Viguerie’s company recently purchased ThirdPartyWatch.

[EDIT: he's joined by George Getz, the national LP media guy for many years.]

And..
http://www.ballot-access.org/2008/05...irdpartywatch/

Richard Viguerie Purchases ThirdPartyWatch
May 19th, 2008
The website Third Party Watch has been purchased by Richard Viguerie, effective May 19, 2008. Viguerie has long been interested in political action outside the two major parties, even though he has also been very much involved in Republican Party politics. In 1976 he and others tried to organize a campaign for a conservative revolt against the Republican Party, given that the Republican Party had just rejected Ronald Reagan and instead nominated Gerald Ford. He is the author or co-author of two books, America’s Right Turn and Conservatives Betrayed. The latter book is an attack on the Republican Party.

[yongrel]

Viguereie IS a RP supporter...(and he does collect addresses).

I seem to recall Viguerie trying to prop up Woody Jenkins as a "Ron Paul Republican" after Woody Jenkins had worked to sabotage the grassroots in Louisiana.

That doesn't sound like a supporter, so much as an oppurtunist.

[angelatc]

Somebody should update Wikipedia with the news of Viguerie acquiring Third Party Watch.

[Sandra]

I think initially Viguerie may have presented himself as one in the "Liberty" crowd but migrated to where the money was. Even if he is Liberty minded in personal principle, his works aren't. Either way, he is in the enemy camp, why else would he campaign for a person like Woody Jenkins?

[mdh]

Other than potentially 48 state ballot access what exactly is there to take over? This is just another drama in the long and insignificant history of the LP. Don't get me wrong, this whole purchase of TPW and the timing and such is certainly interesting but c'mon it sure isn't the end of the world. If anything it will harden the resolve of the more idealistic delegates and make it even less likely that Barr will win the nomination. Watch how fast Viguerie exits when Ruwart or Kubby or Phillies gets the nod!

Ballot access, a lot of active healthy state affiliates, a lot of money in the bank, a *TREMENDOUS* wealth of fundraising lists, a track record of success in local elections that no other party can claim, and more media coverage than any party except for the big two.

[NewFederalist]

Like I said... 48 state ballot access! Money in the bank? Are you kidding?

[Aratus]

and mike gravel's arrival further politically compounds this??? (sigh! my most favorite grumpy old man candidate!) can we say ticket balancer veep to these 'unprincipled pragmatists'...? this unusual year's politics as usual is swamping totally the normally logical Libertarians...

[mdh]

Like I said... 48 state ballot access! Money in the bank? Are you kidding?

Not at all. The national LP has done a great job of fundraising for an organization its size. Starting over from scratch to get to where it is today would be a monumental task and you'd need to start with some big dollar donors, which you can't even have anymore thanks to McCain-Feingold.

[stevedasbach]

http://www.ballot-access.org/2008/05...hard-viguerie/[B][B]

[EDIT: he's joined by George Getz, the national LP media guy for many years.]

Clarification: George Getz has worked for Viguerie for several years, ever since he was foolishly let go by the LP.

[Alex Libman]

*bump*

[Bradley in DC]

The so called "purists" were a trounced minority today trying to "restore" the platform. So chastened in fact after failing on all of their first tries they were allowed to withdraw the rest of their proposals to save their face and everyone else's time.

[Alex Libman]

Looks like there'll be a new party forming in the future. Since so many purists are concentrated (or moving to) New Hampshire, it might be centered there.

... Free State Party? Ya never know ...

[LibertyIn08]

Looks like there'll be a new party forming in the future. Since so many purists are concentrated (or moving to) New Hampshire, it might be centered there.

... Free State Party? Ya never know ...

That sounds like a great strategy. Let us split up to better focus our resources.


On second thought...

[Bradley in DC]

Looks like there'll be a new party forming in the future. Since so many purists are concentrated (or moving to) New Hampshire, it might be centered there.

... Free State Party? Ya never know ...

No slogan, "We won't stop splintering until I'm the only one left." It will make the "purity" arrogance easier to fulfill.