Urgent Appeal to the Judicial Committee: Uphold Fairness, Reject Retaliatory Suspension
In a guest column, a former member of the Libertarian National Committee who removed Caryn Ann Harlos explains why you should sign a petition against her removal by Angela McArdle.
Dear Fellow Libertarians,
I am reaching out today with a serious concern regarding the recent suspension of Caryn Ann Harlos, Secretary of the Libertarian National Committee (LNC). As someone who previously served on the LNC and voted to remove Ms. Harlos during my tenure, I believe I am in a unique position to speak on this matter—and I urge you to join me in supporting this appeal to the Judicial Committee.
To clarify, my vote to remove Ms. Harlos in the past was due to her creation of a toxic work environment, including public untrue accusations and derogatory YouTube videos, which severely impacted the functioning of the board. At the time, I believed removal was in the best interest of the party. However, the current situation is fundamentally different. It is important to separate what happened then from what is happening now.
Ms. Harlos is currently being targeted for suspension, not for the reasons related to her past behavior, but because she fulfilled her fiduciary duties by ensuring that Chase Oliver, our delegate-chosen presidential candidate, was placed on the ballot in Colorado. This action was part of her responsibility to the board and delegates, and yet she is facing retaliation from the chair of the LNC as a result. The chair’s actions appear to be punitive, driven by personal grievances rather than any legitimate concern for the party's well-being. The board, unfortunately, is allowing this behavior to go unchecked.
As someone who has been on the other side of Ms. Harlos, I can assure you that my support in this appeal is not based on any personal affinity for her. In fact, my prior experiences with Ms. Harlos were far from positive. However, I firmly believe that in this instance, she is in the right, and it is critical for the integrity of our party that we do not allow retaliation to stand in the way of fulfilling our legal and ethical obligations.
The Judicial Committee should not uphold this suspension. This is not about personalities—it's about doing what is right for the party and ensuring that no one is punished for carrying out their duties in good faith.
Please sign this appeal. By doing so, you will be sending a strong message that retaliation has no place in the Libertarian Party and that fairness and integrity must always come first.
I signed. Please join me.
In Liberty,
Valerie Sarwark
Former At-Large Representative, Libertarian National Committee
Former Chair, Affiliate Support Committee
Former Member, APRC
Former Member, Bylaws Committee
I have to wonder if the 2020-22 term of the LNC had not kicked off Caryn Ann Harlos the first time, would the LPMC had taken over at all? That term of the LNC made her a martyr, and people rallied around her.
I don't think the LP could possibly look any sillier than it does now.
Has she “been removed”, or “targeted for suspension”? Neither of these hit the mark.
She has already been temporarily suspended pending a trial—not removed—and being accorded full due process, which the prior administration (which included Valerie Sarwark) denied her.
Subscribers to this Substack should be aware, this sloppy article reflects how sloppy Nick Sarwark has always been with the facts—seek out knowledgeable sources close to the issue.