There are big changes afoot for the Libertarian Party of Oregon.
First, state chair Don Smith resigned at a Sept. 29 meeting, citing “the demands of a new job.” Then, on Monday, Richard Burke (pictured above), the party’s executive director for the last six years, also stepped down.
The changes cap a chaotic year for the party.
Smith’s replacement, former Libertarian Party of Clackamas County vice-chair Wes Wagner, has sued the state party twice over the last year (using the courts to settle grievances = not very Libertarian).
Wagner’s claims included allegations that party bylaws had been ignored and that Burke himself had manipulated campaign finance reports. Both suits were dismissed.
But the infighting among party members seemed to take its toll. Among the signs: the state party now has $27,000 worth of debt and it’s moving from its office in downtown Beaverton to a much smaller office on Southwest Barbur Boulevard.
Richard Burke ran for governor on the Libertarian Party ticket in 1998, coming in third with 2 percent of the vote. During his time as Executive Director he fought to keep the party relevant in Oregon politics, and was seen by many as a force adding legitimacy to the LPO. Since 2001, the party has worked to defeat two tax increases, as well as to oppose efforts by the city of Portland to acquire Portland General Electric.
“The sands of politics are always shifting,” said Burke in a press release. “The LPO is starting over and taking a new direction. Time will tell if it is the correct one, but I can’t complain; we’ve had a good run.”
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I don’t see any inconsistency between Libertarianism and settling disputes in the courts. I think you’re confusing Libertarianism with anarchism.
I believe if this were a wikipedia page it would get a large "The neutrality of this article is disputed" bubble at the top.
Looks to me like the Libertarians got rid of a corrupt Executive Director.
Best of luck Libertarians.
WW: Then, on Monday, Richard Burke (pictured above), the party’s executive director for the last six years, also stepped down.
JK: He did not step down, his contract as executive director ended.
His contract had been renegotiated earlier in the year around the time that he barely survived a vote to outright terminate him (he survived only by Chairman Smith
Since I have been currently serving at Fort Benning, Georgia for the past 3 years for the ARNG, I just became aware of these issues via the internet. Sorry to see the fighting which had ensued over the past many years. The leadership that left had noble visions, but too many other good libertarians with vision and motivation were, unfortunately, disregarded and made insignificant. Thus the outcome is not surprising. Regarding the new leadership, I know some of them. Their desire to do the right thing and to provide a purposeful direction for the party’s future, I believe, will allow the party to remain significant in Oregon politics and pull in an even greater number of Libertarian minded thinkers.