Seminole County Libertarian Civil War

The normally quit race for Florida House District 33 just erupted into a full blown civil war in the Libertarian Party. The seat is currently occupied by Sandra “Sandy” Adams, Republican. James Decocq has filed to run as a Republican for the 2010 election and is the early favorite to win against Alice Sterling (R), Scott Bland (R) and Leo Cruz (D). The Libertarians get at the most 20% of the vote in a great year so why all the intense infighting?

Florida House District 33 Candidate Franklin Perez

The first candidate on the scene who became involved with the Seminole County Libertarian Party (SCLP) was Franklin Perez around 2000. He ran as a non affiliated candidate in 2006 and 2008 because of infighting with the Seminole County Libertarian Party leadership citing “anti-Hispanic remarks”. As former Vice-Chairman Franklin and then LP Chairman Mark Clifford became estranged over issues of style and substance. The former chair allegedly objected to provocative and sometimes lewd post on the libertarian message board in defense of legalized prostitution and descriptive details of those encounters allegedly posted by Mr. Perez. The situation came to a boil in April 19, 2004 when then LP Chairman Mark Clifford sent the following e-mail to Mr. Perez:

Franklin;

You are a virgin to leadership so I appreciate you trying and I appreciate your work at it.

Your Hispanic nature appears to start by creating conflict. Being machismo does not serve you and it slows your progress. (It works when it serves to scare away your opponent but we are not your opponents.)

At the moment you do not seem to understand group dynamics. (I thought about asking the other members to consider removing you for cause as I see you not qualified to hold the office held). You are worried about Robert’s Rules paragraph [zz] but you not have the ‘common courtesy’ part at all. You HAVE a right to speak but you have one mouth and you have two ears -develop wisdom to listen wisely. Individual responsibility means acting responsibly. (What is going to happen when the LP offers Franklin Perez as an example to lead? You need to be ready to do it because those who wear the label with be prejudged by your performance.) I believe you have the individual part but individual responsibility is not related.

Florida House District 33 Candidate Ellen M. Paul

Before I post our reply, I need to get your input as a member of the team. (That means that the post stands by itself and it does not get responded to by someone who helped draft it. Your option to comment is now, not later.)

Your signature block says:

Franklin Perez
Vice-Chairman
Libertarian Party of Seminole County Florida

and you said “I do not understand why you even need approval from the “Executive Committee”. That is the difference between speaking for you and speaking for the organization. And yet you post apparently using the group to add credibility to your post rather than to help the reader to understand your message. You seem to understand the title and seem to like wearing it. It must be more than that or this group will fail to be effective. You appear driven by all about self and no humility. Each post indicates to me you do not understand teams. Every effective leader understands humility.

The Executive Committee speaks for the group and the chair speaks when the executive committee cannot be reached. The vice chair speaks when the chair cannot be reached – not hard to reach but cannot be reached. It also means that you remove the title from your signature until you are BOTH speaking for the party AND you are speaking in the capacity you show. It is for the reader – not the poster. (Period)

You also speak ill of you teammates before you have the facts to judge. This is why your original post offended me. You have an obligation to serve in a neutral capacity so that you can be given the gavel to resolve a dispute that originates outside of the executive committee. When anyone objects to the resolution of a dispute, you will be given the opportunity to resolve it. Point out oversights in private and save the cheap shots for your enemy, not your friends.

Bonus TIP: Drop the need to find fault; after that you can focus on finding liberty.

Bonus TIP2: Respect the time of your chair; it is not an endless commodity.

Franklin – my recommendation to you is to develop the ability to listen-or- resign the post as a leader of a group until you develop the skills and wisdom to lead. I am speaking only to you because I do not need to publicly humiliate you, I need you to get through to you and provide you some honest feedback.

If you do not want to develop leadership skills that is not a crime but you should just stop pretending.

Others have the same view of you but they think you are so hopeless that they don’t provide useful feedback that you can actualize since they do not believe you have the ability to learn. If you have no desire to learn, that is an option but if you need a mentor, I can help.

Thank you for your work and considering things outside of the box.

This email took more than 6 hours to draft edit and reconsider but it is the
readers digest version. If I have offended you then I have not successfully communicated.

You’re Friend,

Mark

Wm “Mark” Clifford
Oviedo FL 32765-6831

And the battle has continued. The Libertarian Party leadership currently headed up by Sean Concannon, Jennifer Concannon, Larry Lawver and Mike Barr reportedly did not approve of Mr. Franklin’s 2006 and 2008 bid to run as a Libertarian and Mr. Perez ran as a no party affiliation (NPA) candidate. For the latest election cycle it is not necessary to receive approval from the party leadership to run as a third party candidate. Mr. Franklin took advantage of the change in election law and registered for District 33 as a Libertarian.

The leadership disapproved but there was nothing they could do about until Ellen M. Paul agreed to run against Mr. Franklin as a Libertarian in District 33 setting up the first Libertarian Primary election ever in the state of Florida. And the war continues…

Mr. Franklin correctly points out Miss. Paul currently resides in District 37 but Florida law required residency prior to swearing in not during the campaign. Mr. Perez also points out the current house member for District 37 is Republican Scott Plakon who has supported such fiscally unpopular expenditures such as SunRail. Mr. Perez asks “Why does Ellen M. Paul run a Libertarian Party Candidate for Florida State House District 33 when she resides in Florida State House District 37? Florida State House District 37 seat is currently occupied by Scott Plakon and NOBODY has challenging him. On top of that, why does she run in a race where a Libertarian is already running when she could run in Florida State House District 37 against just ONE incumbent opponent in a House District she actually resides in?”

Good questions. The real answer may be in the following e-mail:

Libertarian Treasurer Larry Lawver wrote in July of 2004

It sucks that I have to spend time responding to this clueless shit while trying to handle the devastation of my property after Hurricane Charley. Beaucoup thanks to Mark Clifford and Carl Geiger for their brilliant and damned near heroic work on my roof Saturday 28 August 2004! Franklin remains an unimportant troll with no idea what’s actually going on.

Statement from the Executive Committee of the Libertarian Party of Seminole County
1 July 2004

Seminole County Libertarian Party Chairman Sean Concannon

And the LP Executive Committee wrote:

The Executive Committee of the Libertarian Party of Seminole County hereby declares how it will handle the dispute between Franklin Perez and the rest of the Executive Committee for the remainder of Franklin’s term of office.

Franklin Perez has served our party as an officer, a candidate, a major contributor, and a friend for over five years. However, he has chosen to distance himself from the rest of the Executive Committee of the
Libertarian Party of Seminole County since February of this year. We have tried to repair the break, but have failed. We have no idea why Franklin decided to become an adversary, but as heartbroken friends, we deplore his action.

Franklin’s term as Vice Chair of the LPSC expires in November of 2004. Our intentionally simple Constitution and Bylaws make it easier to let his term expire than to remove him from office. Thus, we are subject to his postings to various websites and other entities without recourse. Although he is the elected Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of Seminole County, he has none of the correct information that officer would normally have, because he has rejected contact from the rest of the LPSC officers.

In particular, Franklin Perez has no knowledge of the actual candidates that the Libertarian Party of Seminole County may field in the 2004 election. His previous privilege as a moderator of some Yahoo! Groups let him appear that he does, and we apologize for that.

Franklin Perez has no remaining support from the Executive Committee of the Libertarian Party of Seminole County, but he retains the office for four more months. Our profound embarrassment will continue as long as he holds that position. Our official response to his communications will be silence or reference to this memo. We apologize to our membership for having to endure this conflict. Please plan to attend the November meeting and elect an Executive Committee slate that promotes liberty.

Yours, in Liberty, Mark Clifford, Chair, Libertarian Party of Seminole County Larry Lawver, Treasurer, Libertarian Party of Seminole County Mike Barr, Secretary, Libertarian Party of Seminole County Jennifer Concannon, Membership Committee Chair, Libertarian Party of Seminole County.

And nothing has changed in the last six years. So Ellen M. Paul comes into the feud to save the SCLP leadership from Mr. Perez and the war hopefully will reach its climax in August 24th 2010 when the primary is held. That is if Mr. Perez does not switch party affiliation to No Party Affiliation (NPS). Personally I think this should be fought to the end. The loose cannon against the party establishment candidate. Finish what you started.