Libertarian National Committee Secretary Listed as Plaintiff in Derivative Lawsuit Against Libertarian National Committee and Chair

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Posted on 10/03/2024 11:18:21 PM PDT by Angelino97

Libertarian National Committee Secretary Caryn Ann Harlos is the plaintiff in a derivative lawsuit against the Libertarian National Committee and its Chair, Angela McArdle. Harlos disclosed her involvement in a post on the LNC’s public business list on Wednesday.

Harlos shared her involvement in the lawsuit in a thread about updated conflicts of interest, clarifying that while she is the plaintiff, she does not see this as a conflict but was instead being transparent. She also provided the case number to the lawsuit. A full copy of the lawsuit is available here and shows the suit was filed on Tuesday.

Notably, the suit is being handled by the Veritas Law Firm, which also represented former Region 7 Representative Beth Vest in a previous lawsuit against the Libertarian National Committee during its last term. Similarly, the case is filed under the laws of the District of Columbia, namely D.C. Code § 29–411.02.

The lawsuit accuses McArdle of violating her fiduciary duties and loyalty to the Libertarian National Committee through actions such as self-dealing, misuse of party resources, and failure to disclose critical conflicts of interest. This includes allegedly directing party funds to external organizations without the Libertarian National Committee’s approval. Harlos argues that McArdle’s actions have caused irreparable harm to the Libertarian Party, citing a “mass exodus” of membership and declining fundraising as direct consequences of McArdle’s leadership decisions.

The suit proceeds to outline several specific instances where McArdle allegedly violated her duties, including her involvement with the Rage Against the War Machine and Rescue the Republic events, certain hiring decisions made during her tenure, and the termination of party headquarters staff to rent the party’s building to potential tenants. Additional grievances include McArdle’s invitation to former Republican President Donald Trump to speak at the 2024 Libertarian National Convention and the formation of the Kennedy Victory Fund with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign.

Harlos also alleges personal harm, noting she has invested both time and money in the party and has suffered “reputational damage” from efforts to remove her, which she attributes to “direct encouragement and inappropriate interference” from McArdle. Additionally, Harlos also contends that she has been subjected to “retaliatory behavior” for advocating that the party adhere to its principles, ensure ballot access for its presidential ticket, and pursue internal complaints against a staff member aligned with McArdle, who she says played a key role in the effort to displace the Libertarian presidential ticket in Colorado.

The lawsuit calls for McArdle’s immediate suspension and removal as Libertarian National Committee Chair, arguing that her continued leadership threatens the party’s stability and future. It also seeks to prevent McArdle from being reelected, reappointed, or redesignated to any future position within the party.

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1 posted on 10/03/2024 11:18:21 PM PDT by Angelino97

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