Note: The Queens LP, the county’s currently chartered Libertarian chapter of LPNY under chair Michael Arcati, approved a “solidarity” motion in late July that puts both it and the Queens Libertarians on the same page going forward concerning the controversies of the last decade. The motion (advocated for by QL members John Clifton and Sam Sloan, who attended the meeting and vote) officially expresses support and respect for the decades of work and activism of the Queens Libertarians (previously LPQC) prior to our 25th anniversary in October 2019, and revives the complaint LPQC made about disputed actions of the state committee against the previous chapter, by pointing out the issue was never properly resolved.
In turn, our organization now encourages our supporters to choose to join and support the current LP of Queens. QL hopes the positive recognition and accurate summary of our history, embodied in the statement, can allow Queens activists (disaffected by certain actions of a faction of the past LPNY state committee) to turn the page on the events of 2010-2016, that falsely disenfranchised or defamed our members and reputation. We also hope that changes made at the state level (as the party completes its evolution into an offical political party in New York state) will ensure the current motion is supported, and the past exclusion tactics, gaming of the bylaws, or violations of chapter autonomy are not repeated.Â
Additional language (not included in the final motion) further clarified the particulars of the concerns of previous Queens members, which read: “Those members held, and hold that the past expulsions of two of their members from LPNY, and the de-chartering of the chapter was not justified, done without real evidence or review, and under a suspect or disputed basis.” The below is the language approved by the chapter on July 30. The Queens Libertarians will more fully discuss the implications of and background behind this matter in the coming days:
LP of Queens—Queens Libertarians Solidarity Statement
1. The LP of Queens respects and supports the past and present activism of the Queens Libertarians (previously the original LPQC) and honors its 25th Anniversary in October 2019. We look forward to their development of a Libertarian Political Action Committee, and have agreed to assist them in correcting any inaccurate Wikipedia entries that described them as an inactive chapter.
2. The LP of Queens acknowledges the view of dozens of past Queens members that the complaint or dispute the previous LPQC had with certain members of the LPNY State Committee was never properly or constructively resolved, which caused disruption of activism in Queens for much of the past decade, and currently.
3. As per a 2017 petition that dozens of LPQC members signed, the LP of Queens recommends the state committee seek to resolve the complaint or dispute with Queens Libertarians with positive and constructive actions, and to respect chapter autonomy. We note that Libertarians in Queens, old and new, will continue to raise these matters until they are resolved. The Queens Libertarians formally recognizes the LP of Queens county committee as the officially chartered affiliate of LPNY.