News Release

Libertarian Party of PA Announces State Convention, Speakers

For Immediate Release
April 30, 2013
Harrisburg, PA

Libertarian Party of PA Announces State Convention, Speakers

The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania will hold its annual convention on Friday and Saturday, June 7 and 8, 2013, at the Harrisburg Hilton, One North 2nd Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101. In addition to important party business, the agenda features several notable speakers, including nationally acclaimed author Jim Bovard and national Libertarian Party Executive Director Carla Howell. The event is open to the public and a full agenda can be found at www.LPPAConvention.org.

“This promises to be the best LPPA convention in years,” said convention facilitator James Babb. “We have four great speakers: Larken Rose, Ben Stone, Carla Howell, and one of my personal favorites, Jim Bovard. Convention energy will be boosted considerably by the recent surge of interest in libertarianism that is sweeping our country.”

A welcome reception at 7pm Friday evening will feature LP Executive Director Carla Howell hosting the fun and informative game, “Who’s Driving?” In the game, created by Howell, the audience passes judgment on how well libertarian contestants have cut through customary big government blather to crystalize their positions on issues of interest to the audience.

The Saturday program opens at 8am with breakfast speaker Larken Rose, self-described tax heretic, social commentator and author. Rose challenges conventional thinking about our relationship with the government in surprising ways that inspire and entertain both principled libertarians and devout statists.

Luncheon speaker Ben Stone is host of the incredible “Bad Quaker” podcast. Ben’s homespun logic and down-to-earth explanations of economics and history will amuse and stretch minds. Washington Post columnist George Will has labeled keynote dinner speaker Jim Bovard, “a one-man truth squad.” The Wall Street Journal called Bovard, “the roving inspector general of the modern state.” The New York Times tagged him, “an anti-czar czar.” The provocative title of his talk is, “Libertarian Hooliganism: Having Fun Raising Hell for Freedom.”

Also on the agenda is party business such as officer elections, candidate nominations, as well as platform and bylaws changes. Hospitality suite discussions will extend the official sessions almost indefinitely both Friday and Saturday evenings.

The Libertarian Party is the party of principle. That principle is simply, “Live and let live.” With over a quarter million Americans registered Libertarian, it is the largest and best alternative for those who want smaller government and more freedom. Visit www.LP.org and www.LPPA.org for more information.

For additional information, visit: www.LPPAConvention.org or contact:

James Babb (Convention Facilitator) at 610-574-1222 or Convention@LPPA.org

Roy Minet (Media Relations Committee Chair) at Media-Relations@LPPA.org

James Fryman (LPPA Chair) at Chair@LPPA.org

Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 May 2013 20:36

PA Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Libertarians and Common Sense

For Immediate Release
October 12, 2012
Harrisburg, PA

PA Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Libertarians and Common Sense

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled that each nominating petition signature line does not have to include the year as part of the date in order to be considered valid when “Revised January, 2012” is printed at the bottom of each form. An August Commonwealth Court ruling sided with Republicans, disqualifying 1,459 signatures on Libertarian petitions where the year was missing. By reversing the lower court, the Supreme Court struck a blow for common sense and increased the safety margin by which Libertarians exceeded the 20,601 signatures needed to get on the November ballot.

Libertarian presidential candidate and former Governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson, was added to the ballot on August 1, along with the entire slate of Libertarian Party candidates. Apparently fearing that Johnson would draw more Republican than Democrat votes, Republicans challenged the Libertarians, claiming that many of their signatures were invalid. Libertarians were dragged through a grueling and costly 9-week signature verification process that culminated Wednesday when Commonwealth Court Senior Judge Colins ruled that Libertarians had more than enough signatures and could remain on the ballot regardless of how the Supreme Court ruled on two appealed issues.

The following Libertarian candidates will remain ON the November 6 ballot:

• President	Governor Gary Johnson
• Vice President	Judge James Gray
• U.S. Senate	Rayburn Douglas Smith
• PA Attorney General	Marakay J. Rogers
• PA Auditor General	Betsy Summers
• PA Treasurer	Patricia M. Fryman

“The Supreme Court’s ruling is significant because it increases the valid signature total to the point where any Republican appeal of Judge Colins’ decision would appear to be doomed,” Libertarian attorney Paul A. Rossi said this morning. Yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling, when combined with another Commonwealth Court decision in Libertarians’ favor that the Supreme Court allowed to stand, means that the valid signature total is now 24,252 versus 20,601 required.

John Karr, Chair of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania Elections Committee, observed, “The entire process was heavily biased in favor of the Republicans. We beat them at their own game. Their attorneys are whining that they didn’t have enough time. Nine weeks is not enough time? Voters desperately need meaningful choices on the ballot. If Republicans fear healthy competition, they should nominate better candidates instead of attempting to deny voters those choices.”

The Libertarian Party is the party of principle. That principle is simply, “Live and let live.” With over a quarter million Americans registered Libertarian, it is the largest and best alternative for those who want smaller government and more freedom. Visit www.LP.org and www.LPPA.org for more information.

For additional information:
Contact: Roy Minet (Media Relations Committee Chair) at Media-Relations@LPPA.org or
Dr. Tom Stevens (LPPA Chair) at 1-718-357-7075 / Chair@LPPA.org

Libertarians Defeat Republican Attempt to Restrict Voter Choice

For Immediate Release
October 10, 2012
Philadelphia, PA

Libertarians Defeat Republican Attempt to Restrict Voter Choice
Presidential Candidate Governor Gary Johnson Remains on the PA Ballot

Commonwealth Court Senior Judge James G. Colins ruled late today that the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania has filed nominating petitions containing more than the required 20,601 valid signatures and that the entire slate of statewide Libertarian candidates will remain on the November 6 general election ballot. The ruling was a stinging defeat for Republicans who waged a grueling and expensive 9-week battle to force their Libertarian Party competition off the November ballot and deprive voters of meaningful choices.

Libertarian Party presidential candidate and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson said, “It is a travesty of the democratic process that Libertarians were required to endure such a drawn-out, expensive and unnecessary attack on their right to be on the ballot. Voters in every state deserve real choices in this election, and it is clear that the Republican Party, not only in Pennsylvania, but in key states across the country, will go to any lengths to keep liberty, nonintervention and smaller government off the ballot.”

LPPA Chair Dr. Tom Stevens commented, “The rotten Republicans in their 800-dollar suits used every trick in their playbook to try to short-circuit the democratic process and defeat us. In the end, we beat them outright without even needing to wait for a favorable Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling on two outstanding legal issues. With little money and an army of dedicated volunteers, we stood up to the superior resources of the Republican Party, never once considering capitulation, even though we faced the possibility of a significant assessment of costs, sanctions and attorneys fees if we lost. Now, the voters of Pennsylvania have a real choice and can vote for candidates who support the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, Civil Liberties and respect every individual’s right to life, liberty and property – without exception.”

The following Libertarian candidates will remain ON the November 6 ballot:

• President	Governor Gary Johnson
• Vice President	Judge James Gray
• U.S. Senate	Rayburn Douglas Smith
• PA Attorney General	Marakay J. Rogers
• PA Auditor General	Betsy Summers
• PA Treasurer	Patricia M. Fryman

Statewide Libertarian candidates were required to file nominating petitions containing at least 20,601 signatures, far more than most states require and many times the number that old party candidates must file. In past years, the requirement has been as high as 60,000. On August 1, Libertarians filed petitions containing over 49,000 signatures, more than twice the number needed. A week later, Republicans challenged about 40,000 of these.

Libertarians were required to field teams of at least 20 people each day for two weeks in Philadelphia. Each was paired with a Republican and a computer operator in order to tediously review challenged signatures. A similar operation was conducted in Harrisburg the following week. After this effort, approximately 14,000 signatures remained contested. For the next four weeks, four teams of lawyers and volunteers meticulously re-reviewed the contested signatures under court supervision.

The herculean effort to defend against the challenge was supported by more than 85 very dedicated volunteers hailing from seven states. Some traveled great distances, paid to stay in motels, sacrificed vacation days and/or lost pay. Roy Minet, who coordinated the massive, marathon volunteer effort, stated, “Our volunteers are truly noble. We appreciate that we even had a few Green Party volunteers.” Surprisingly, the Greens were not challenged this time around. “Some Republicans, who said they couldn’t ‘stomach’ what their party was trying to do, helped us as well,” Minet added.

The Libertarian Party is the party of principle. That principle is simply, “Live and let live.” With over a quarter million Americans registered Libertarian, it is the largest and best alternative for those who want smaller government and more freedom. Visit www.LP.org and www.LPPA.org for more information.

For additional information:
Contact: Roy Minet (Media Relations Committee Chair) at Media-Relations@LPPA.org or
Dr. Tom Stevens (LPPA Chair) at 1-718-357-7075 / Chair@LPPA.org

Libertarians Urge Philadelphia DA To Investigate Republican "Watergate- Style" Dirty Tricks

For Immediate Release
October 8, 2012
Philadelphia, PA

More than a half dozen contractors paid by Libertarians to gather nominating petition signatures have
independently reported that a private investigator hired by Republicans offered them substantial sums of
money to testify in court that they had obtained signatures fraudulently. This appears to have been part of
the attempt by Republicans to disqualify thousands of signatures in a court hearing, thus forcing Governor
Gary Johnson, Libertarian candidate for President, and the other statewide Libertarian candidates off the
November ballot. However, following an entire day of testimony, the judge disqualified very few petitions
on various technicalities, but ruled that signatures had not been obtained fraudulently and that the vast
majority could be counted.

Today, Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania Chair, Dr. Tom Stevens, joined the Gary Johnson campaign in
urging the Philadelphia District Attorney to conduct a thorough investigation. “This reeks of Watergate-style
illegal tricks,” said Stevens. “The allegations tend to gain credibility when so many non-Libertarian Party
circulators come forward, reluctantly, with substantially the same accusation. There is a whole lot of smoke
here, and we suspect there may also be a fire,” he continued.

Statewide Libertarian candidates were required to file nominating petitions containing at least 20,601
signatures, far more than most states require and many times the number the old parties must file. In past
years, the requirement has been as high as 60,000. On August 1, Libertarians filed petitions containing over
49,000 signatures, more than twice the number needed. A week later, Republicans challenged about 40,000
of these.

The challenge has required Libertarians to defend their petition signatures in a 9-week battle against
everything the Republicans and their high-priced gang of lawyers could throw at them. Yesterday,
Libertarian attorney Paul A. Rossi announced that, as of the end of business Saturday, more than the required
number of signatures had been verified as valid. Barring anything unexpected, the entire Libertarian slate
of candidates should remain on the ballot. Additional valid signatures should be verified as the process
continues through Tuesday and possibly Wednesday. A final ruling from Commonwealth Court Senior
Judge James G. Colins is expected then.

The Libertarian Party is the party of principle. That principle is simply, “Live and let live.” With over a
quarter million Americans registered Libertarian, it is the largest and best alternative for those who want
small and limited government. Visit www.LP.org and www.LPPA.org for more information.

For additional information:
Contact: Roy Minet (Media Relations) at Media-Relations@LPPA.org or
Dr. Tom Stevens (Chair) at 1-718-357-7075 / Chair@LPPA.org

Libertarians Say the Innocent at Penn State Should Not Be Punished

For Immediate Release
July 23, 2012
Harrisburg, PA

Dr. Tom Stevens, Chair of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania, issued the following statement
today on behalf of the party after its Board of Directors voted to take this stand at a meeting held
on Saturday, July 21, 2012, in Millheim, Pennsylvania:

“Former Penn State Assistant Football Coach Jerry Sandusky has been convicted and awaits
sentencing. Others who engaged in criminal activity or legal negligence are being investigated
and in time will be dealt with in accordance with the law once all the facts become finally
known. However, it is grossly unjust to allow emotional outrage at the actions or inactions of an
isolated handful of individuals to result in the punishment of innocent Penn State students and
the many businesses that thrive in and around State College due to the success and prestige of
Penn State and its academic and athletic programs.

“Today’s NCAA penalties against Penn State’s college football program end up creating more
victims and punishing the wrong people. Not allowing Penn State to participate in Bowl Games
for 4 years harms the careers of current players. Cutting back on scholarships Penn State can
offer prevents the school from recruiting the best players in the years to come, which hurts
the entire football program as well as the reputation of the school. Striking victories from the
record books as though they never took place is downright Orwellian and again harms the wrong
people.

“Some argue that Penn State the institution should be punished for the actions of a few. But an
institution cannot be punished; only individuals can be punished. Any attempt to sanction an
institution just punishes the individuals currently affiliated with it and that is unjust. Clearly,
present and future Penn State students and, indeed, the Penn State community at large have
zero complicity in the Sandusky scandal. A ham-handed response is not called for. The NCAA
actions against Penn State will have a huge negative impact on current and future students and
will harm many businesses that support the local economy.

“If additional individuals are found to have been guilty of criminal activity, they should be
punished accordingly, but no penalty should be enforced that harms even one innocent person.”

Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania (LPPA)
3915 Union Deposit Road, #223
Harrisburg, PA 17109
www.LPPA.org

For additional information:
Contact: Roy Minet (Media Relations) at Media-Relations@LPPA.org or
Dr. Tom Stevens (Chair) at 1-718-357-7075 / Chair@LPPA.org

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