Subject: Willis matter report: responses from former LNC members
Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2001 00:13:27 -0400
From: "James W. Lark, III" <jwl3s@virginia.edu>
Organization: Dept. of Systems Engineering, University of Virginia
To: Steve Givot <givot@softwarena.com>, Thomas Knapp <tlknapp@free-market.net>,
Michael Gilson De Lemos <mg4u@oasis.net>, Joe Dehn <jwd3@dehnbase.org>,
Steve Dasbach <SteveDasbach@hq.lp.org>, Carl Milsted <cmilsted@earthlink.net>,
Elias Israel <eli@promanage-inc.com>, Jim Turney <JimTurney@lpva.com>,
Scott Lieberman <scott73@best.com>, Jim Dexter <jimdex@inconnect.com>,
Ken Bisson <kbisson@usa.net>, Mark Nelson <lpiachair@home.com>,
Lorenzo Gaztanaga <DiazVivar@aol.com>, Deryl Martin <dnc@multipro.com>,
Jim Lark <jwl3s@virginia.edu>, Daniel Wisnosky <stigmata@skylink.net>,
Lois Kaneshiki <lois@nb.net>, Daniel Karlan <DanKarlan@compuserve.com>,
Mary Ruwart <Mary@ruwart.com>, Mike Dixon <mdixonlp@earthlink.net>,
Richard Schwarz <hogweed@pop.mail.rcn.net>, Ed Hoch <edsway@sprynet.com>,
Greg Holmes <mag97@home.com>, Mark Rutherford <RUTHERFORDLAW@prodigy.net>,
Tim Hagan <t.hagan@usa.net>, Ben Scherrey <Ben.Scherrey@ga.lp.org>,
Mark Cenci <mcenci@mindspring.com>
CC: jwl3s@virginia.edu, "Hall, William" <HALLWW@wnj.com>
Dear colleagues:
I have included the responses received from former LNC members and
members of the 1998 Bylaws Committee concerning their knowledge prior to
April 21, 2001 of improper actions by Mr. Willis (or others) in this
matter. (It has been suggested that Mr. Willis may have provided
information about his actions to members of the 1998 Bylaws Committee in
advance of the 1998 national convention.) All of the responses to the
inquiry messages have been written and transmitted by e-mail, except for
the oral statements of Don Ernsberger, Bob Franke, and Bill Redpath.
Note that in order to save space, in most cases I have included only
the material actually written by the respondent; I have not included the
copy of my e-mail message to them unless they have interspersed their
response within the text of my e-mail. If you wish to see the entire
message from a given respondent, please let me know and I shall send it
to you.
Since some readers of this material may not know when respondents
who are former LNC members served on the LNC, you may obtain this
information by accessing a website prepared by Joe Dehn. The URL for
the website is http://www.dehnbase.org/lpus/library/lnc-mem-hist.html.
-----
David Aitken:
Subject: Re: Help with the Willis matter inquiry
Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2001 13:01:29 -0600
From: David Aitken <daitken@tde.com>
To: James Lark <jwl3s@virginia.edu>
At 04:26 AM 7/26/01 -0400, you wrote:
>Dear David:
>
> I hope all is well with you. I am writing to request a favor of
>you. As you probably know, the LNC is looking into the Willis matter.
I
>hope to contact people who served on the 1998 L.P. Bylaws committee to
>request their assistance with the inquiry. I have enclosed a copy of
>the letter concerning the Willis matter inquiry that I have sent to
>several people. Please let me know as soon as possible whether you
have
>information that you believe would be helpful in this inquiry.
>
> Best wishes to you in all your endeavors. I hope I shall have the
>pleasure of seeing you again soon.
>
> Take care,
> Jim
>-----
<SNIP by JWL>
>
>Questions:
>
>1. Perry Willis has indicated that he performed undisclosed work for
>the
>Browne for President campaign prior to the 1996 national convention.
>Were
>you aware at any point before the April 21, 2001 LNC meeting that Mr.
>Willis had performed this work?
No.
>2. If your answer to question 1 is yes, please indicate how you became
>aware of this information and provide your best estimate of the date
>when
>you became aware of this information.
>
>3. If your answer to question 1 is yes, then were you aware before
April
>
>21, 2001 that the work by Mr. Willis referred to in question 1
>constituted
>a violation of LNC policy?
>
>4. If your answer to question 1 is yes, then were you aware that Mr.
>Willis had concealed the work referred to in question 1 from the LNC?
>
>5. Do you have any information about any other L.P. employees (past or
>present) who during their L.P. employment performed work for the 1996
>Browne for President campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate
>for
>nomination) prior to nomination? More generally, do you have any
>information about L.P. employees (past or present) who during their
L.P.
>
>employment performed work for the campaign of any candidate for
>president
>(or vice president) prior to nomination? If so, please provide this
>information.
None.
>6. If you have worked as an L.P. employee, did you receive any
payments
>
>during your service as an L.P. employee from the Browne for President
>campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the presidential
or
>
>vice presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000? If your answer is yes,
>please provide a list of the dates of the payments, the amounts paid,
>and
>the stated purpose of each payment. Did you receive any payments
during
>
>your service as an L.P. employee from firms (such as Dean, Spear &
>Associates or Optopia) that served in some type of contractor capacity
>for
>the Browne for President campaign (or the campaign of any other
>candidate for the presidential or vice presidential nomination) of 1996
>or
>2000? If your answer is yes, please provide a list of the dates of the
>payments, the amounts paid, and the stated purpose of each payment.
>
>7. Do you have any information as to whether payments from the Browne
>for
>President campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the
>presidential or vice presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000 were made
>to
>then-sitting members of the Libertarian National Committee? Do you have
>any information as to whether payments to then-sitting LNC members
>were made by firms (such as Dean, Spear & Associates or Optopia) that
>served in some type of contractor capacity for the Browne for President
>campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the presidential
or
>
>vice presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000? If so, please provide
>this
>information.
>
>(NOTE: Payments from a presidential campaign or one of its contractors
>to
>a then-sitting LNC member is not necessarily an indicator of improper
>behavior. However, LNC members have an affirmative duty to inform the
>LNC
>of conflicts of interest.)
No.
>8. During the May 23, 2001 meeting of the Executive Committee of the
>Libertarian Party, L.P. secretary Steve Givot suggested that answers to
>the following questions be sought:
>
>A. What payments were made by the Party to Jack Dean or any firm in
>which
>he was involved in 1995, 1996, and 1997? What were the dates, amounts,
>and stated purpose of each such payment?
>B. What payments were made by Mr. Dean or any firm in which he was
>involved to Mr. Willis during 1995, 1996, and 1997? What were the
>dates, amounts, and stated purpose of each such payment?
>C. What payments were made by Mr. Dean or any firm in which he was
>involved to any L.P. employee other than Mr. Willis during 1995, 1996,
>and
>1997? What were the dates, amounts, and stated purpose of each such
>payment?
>
>Do you have any information pertaining to questions A, B, or C? If so,
>please provide this information.
No.
>9. Do you have any additional information that you believe would be
>relevant to this inquiry? If so, please provide this information.
None. Sorry I can't be of much help on this matter.
Jim. Would you provide me with your snail mail address so I can send
you a finished copy of the flyer "How Liberty Helps the Poor"?
Thanks,
David Aitken
--
--
Lynn Atherton:
Subject: Re: Help in the Willis matter inquiry
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2001 12:34:19 -0500
From: Roger Bloxham and Lynn Atherton <airdock@telepath.com>
To: James Lark <jwl3s@virginia.edu>
References: 1
Dear Jim,
I do not have any special knowledge that is not common to everyone of
the events leading up to this situation. It is one that I would
describe as a tragedy.
I have read everything that has come my way with deep sorrow. As a
member since the beginning I know we have had our problems, but none
have given me so much "personal pain".
>From Harry and Bumper, to Perry, Sharon and Arizona Party members and
others impacted by this, many are people who at some time I have worked
with on projects, from whom I have gained knowledge, who have befriended
me and in the most meaningful manner inspired me.
When I heard that Sharon was going to be on the Browne committee, my
husband, Roger Bloxham and I made the assumption and said to David
that, "then she will have to give up her LNC position?" He said "No,
it does not present a conflict of interest". We were greatly surprised
at his position as we thought very strongly that it did. I regret that
we did not persist in trying to persuade David that it was a conflict.
At the convention the Oklahoma delegates were interested in both Harry
Browne and Rick Tompkins. The rumor was afloat at the convention that
the LP office had been supporting Browne and, of course, all of the
Tompkins people and many others who understood the impropriety of this,
were extremely shocked and angry. Many others were in a state of
disbelief that a conflict such as this had taken place.
I regret I am not wise enough to know how to resolve this situation with
fairness and justice and, somehow, without lasting damage to the
libertarian party, movement, or the many people involved.
I realize the most difficult job in any organization is one that needs
to be accomplished "sight and sound" unseen and unheard. That job is
the balancing of the beliefs, interests, peccadilloes and real and
imagined slights of the people involved. I think you do this well. This
situation, however, is an extreme and I appreciate your efforts. I am
relieved that you are at the helm, as difficult as that now is --
certainly much worse than a mere squabble with Democrats or Republicans.
Here in struggling Oklahoma, I hope we are building a solid foundation
for future growth. If anyone from National is available for our
convention in February, please let me know as I am helping with the
Oklahoma convention which will be in Tulsa. I also am Outreach Chair
this time around so am trying to get this effort better organized and
take care of the people we have or who have inquired on a more timely
basis.
On a lighter note, as my little grand daughter loves to say, "See ya,
wouldn't want ta be ya!"
My very best to you in this difficult time,
Lynn Atherton
--
--
David Bergland:
Subject: Re: Inquiry into Willis matter
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 14:54:13 +0000
From: "david p. bergland" <dpbergland@socal.rr.com>
To: "James W. Lark, III" <jwl3s@virginia.edu>
Acknowledging message received.
=========================
> From: "James W. Lark, III" <jwl3s@virginia.edu>
> Organization: Department of Systems Engineering, University of
Virginia
> Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 14:53:12 -0400
> To: "Bergland, David" <dpbergland@socal.rr.com>, "Bergland, David"
> <dpbergland@earthlink.net>, "Ayres, Sharon" <sayres@socal.rr.com>
> Cc: "Lark, Jim" <jwl3s@virginia.edu>
> Subject: Inquiry into Willis matter
>
> Dear Sharon and David:
>
> I hope all is well with you. Last month I sent you an e-mail message
in
> which I requested your help concerning the Perry Willis matter.
> Specifically, I asked whether you had any information pertaining to
improper
> conduct by Mr. Willis or other people, and I requested that you share
any
> such information with me. As of today, I have not received a response
from
> you. (I have enclosed a copy of my message below.)
--
--
Jeanne Bojarski:
Subject: Re: Help with Willis matter inquiry
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 09:16:36 EDT
From: MoLPComms@aol.com
To: jwl3s@virginia.edu
In a message dated 01-07-20 00:08:23 EDT, you write:
<< I hope all is well with you and Grant. I am fine, though very
busy. I really enjoyed my visit to Kansas City in May; thanks again
for your tremendous hospitality. By the way, the drive from Kansas City
to the greater St. Louis area that evening was very interesting; I drove
through a major thunderstorm.
I am writing to request your help with the Willis matter inquiry >>
You're very welcome. Everyone seemed to have a great time.
No, Grant and I have no information on this matter. Hope you can
resolve it without too much ganshing of teeth!
Jeanne
--
--
Hugh Butler:
Subject: RE: Help with the Willis matter inquiry
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 14:00:38 -0600
From: "Hugh A. Butler" <Hugh@cccorp.com>
To: "James W. Lark, III" <jwl3s@virginia.edu>
Good to hear from you, Jim, even under the circumstances. Marsha is
well. We both enjoyed your brief visit with us and hope you'll find
your way back again bringing some of that ol' Virginny wine with you
again.
On your questions below I can answer specifically in the negative on all
aspects of knowledge of undisclosed work performed by Perry or of
payments to any member of the LNC. Nor was I one of those who received
money from the Party or the Browne campaign, though it appears their
number is legion.
Guess I missed the gravy boat.
As to Givot's questions, I find myself with a typical problem where my
friend, Steve, is concerned. As Treasurer, I certainly "knew" we paid
Jack Dean for services, such as the production of the Party's
know-your-customer website. Jack is a person known to me and I met with
him shortly thereafter on a trip to California where I picked his brain
about some business ventures we might jointly pursue. Actually, we
never got the right skill mix, so nothing came of that nor did I assist
him in any way with the Party's business. In fact, I was quite
unhelpful when it came to his odd pursuit of the related website
addresses, a controversy where I believe I find myself on the same page
as Joe Dehn and possibly Steve Givot.
If Givot's questioning is supposed to unearth a kickback arrangement
between Jack and Perry, this is the absolute first I've heard that
accusation and I cannot contribute to its prosecution.
Jim, you may find others who remember that I was a chief author and
architect of the resolution which is at issue. While my name is not on
the proposal, I pressed for it and wrote the provisions regarding
Chair's
notification. Perry and the other staff members were not happy about
the LNC intruding upon their private lives, particularly when they were
acting in support of the national and local state parties and
candidates. I gave up trying to convince them this was inappropriate
behavior and simply made
sure the resolution passed. Dasbach has probably told you that he and I
were not told about Perry's continued extra-curricular activities until
after they were ended. I don't know of any other staff member
continuing to pursue outside income.
Perry is a friend who has my respect excepting in this case. I have
told him stories about the earlier campaigns where this issue came up
and he knows well how bothered I am by ethical lapses. I do not buy the
argument that we are such a small party we cannot afford separation of
duties. Other friends of mine hold opposing views to mine, so I'm
apparently affable enough to withstand severe ethical disagreements
amongst friends. You needn't protect me, therefore, from any aspect of
this inquiry. Neither should you expect me to revel in its continuance.
I would hope you would elevate the arguments. The witch hunt, if begun,
must antedate Perry Willis. There are living witnesses to much worse
travesties than his in our past. You have the chance to put this issue
onto a higher plane and eradicate the problem once and for all. Your
current staff members will absolutely take a pledge to adjure
intra-Party work. Get them to accept a punishing personal liability or
bond on it. Hold them up as examples of your view of how the system
should work in the future. Tell
everybody that the judgments Perry and other party luminaries of our
past were made in concert with their values and view of our ethics and
needs. Persecuting one person for the disputed crimes of dozens will
likely work against a rational adoption of an important principle. To
do to Perry what some of his enemies wish would revive the Inquisition.
To do less will incur the wrath of the moral bigots who have nothing
better to talk about. You can't win. Try something else.
As always, good luck and best wishes. And, may I say, without malice
and in good humor, better you than I? Bless you, Jim Lark, for being
where you are.
- Hugh
Hugh A. Butler
Founder, Chair & CEO
Computer Consultants Corporation
--
--
James Dan:
Subject: Re: Help with the Willis matter inquiry
Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2001 04:04:02 -0700
From: James Dan <jdan@lvcm.com>
To: James Lark <jwl3s@virginia.edu>
This is to acknowledge receipt of your email. I will be reading it in
detail over the next few days so I can reply to it more comprehensively.
At this point, though, I can say that since I did not support Harry
Browne's candidacy prior to the 1996 nominating convention, I was not
privy to any information inside the Browne campaign.
JD
--
--
Don Ernsberger:
Mr. Ernsberger informed me during a telephone conversation on July 24
that while he had some suspicions that Mr. Willis may not have ceased
work for the Browne campaign following the December, 1995 LNC meeting,
he had no hard evidence of improper activity on Mr. Willis part.
--
--
Bill Evers:
Subject: Re: A request for assistance
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 08:43:33 -0700
From: Williamson Evers <Evers@hoover.stanford.edu>
To: James Lark <jwl3s@virginia.edu>
References: 1
Dear Jim,
I don't know anything about this, so I cannot help you out on this
difficult matter.
Bill Evers
--
--
Bob Franke:
Mr. Franke informed me during a telephone conversation on August 1 that
while he had some suspicions that Mr. Willis may not have ceased work
for the Browne campaign following the December, 1995 LNC meeting, he had
little evidence until Mr. Willis message of May 11.
Subject: your recent E-mail
Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2001 10:57:34 EDT
From: PFranke241@aol.com
To: jwl3s@virginia.edu
I would like very much to discuss the Willis situation with you. I'm
not sure how much hard data I can provide, but I have a few
facts/opinions that may be of assistance in your investigation. Please
send me your phone number and the best times to calland I'll ring you
you up as wesay across the pond.
We'll talk soon
Bob
--
--
Dan Fylstra:
Subject: RE: [LNC-Discuss] Investigation of Willis matter
Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2001 17:35:21 -0700
From: "Daniel H. Fylstra" <dfylstra@frontsys.com>
To: "James W. Lark, III" <jwl3s@virginia.edu>, LNC-Discuss
<lnc-discuss@hq.lp.org>
CC: "Hall, Bill" <hallww@wnj.com>
> Some of you have already contacted me to indicate that you had no
> knowledge of Mr. Willis' improper actions prior to April 21, 2001. I
> hereby formally request that each member of the LNC (including
> alternates) inform me about your knowledge prior to April 21, 2001 of
> improper actions by Mr. Willis (or others) in this matter.
Mr. Chairman:
Prior to April 21, 2001 when John Famularo gave me and other LNC members
copies of an invoice from Perry Willis to Dean Spear, I had no knowledge
of improper actions by Mr. Willis (or others) in this matter.
Daniel H. Fylstra
Vice Chair, Libertarian Party
--
--
Barbara Goushaw:
Subject: Re: [LNC-Discuss] Investigation of Willis matter
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2001 23:17:20 EDT
From: BGoush@aol.com
To: jwl3s@virginia.edu
Dear Mr. Lark,
Please be advised that I had no knowledge of Mr. Willis violation of LNC
policy until I received the letter and invoice copy in the mail
following the LNC meeting of April 21 2001.
Please let me know if you require any additional information.
Barbara Goushaw
Region 3
--
--
Bill Hall:
Subject: Re: Help with the Willis matter inquiry
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 10:04:47 -0400
From: William Hall <HALLWW@wnj.com>
To: jwl3s@virginia.edu
CC: diazvivar@aol.com, scott73@best.com, DanKarlan@compuserve.com,
jwd3@dehnbase.org,
mdixonlp@earthlink.net, hogweed@erols.com,
tlknapp@free-market.net, Ben.Scherrey@ga.lp.org,
lpiachair@home.com, mag97@home.com, SteveDasbach@hq.lp.org,
jimdex@inconnect.com,
eisrael@lpma.org, JimTurney@lpva.com, mcenci@mindspring.com,
Dear Jim:
As you know, I have been general counsel to the LNC since 1987, with one
two-year gap from 1989-1991, when Joe Hauptmann was chair of the LNC's
legal action committee. I served as a regional representative on the
LNC from 1987-89 and 1991-93, and an at-large representative from
1996-2000. I was a member of the EC for a short time in 1993, and from
1996-98.
In my role as general counsel to the LNC, I was occasionally called upon
by the LNC to perform some work, gratis, that benefitted 1996 and 2000
presidential campaigns, primarily in the area of ballot access. (For
example, I dimly recall that Maine ballot access law as of 1996 required
our candidates to independently petition for ballot status prior to our
convention, and at Steve Dasbach's request, I prepared and provided to
the Browne and Tompkins campaigns forms of ballot access agreements to
enter into with petitioners for ballot status for them.)
As a matter of disclosure under our conflict of interest policy, I
disclose that my wife Vicki and I have contributed several thousand
dollars to Browne's 1996 and 2000 presidential campaigns. I also made
modest contributions (as I recall, in the low hundreds of dollars) to
the presidential campaigns of Tompkins and Gorman and vice presidential
campaign of Jorgensen, and smaller contributions to others. However, I
consider such contributions to be typical of any LNC member or LP
leader, and don't consider my objectivity to have been compromised by
that support. We have consistently made large
contributions to LP presidential candidates since the Clark campaign in
1980.
I had no knowledge of Perry Willis' misconduct, or any misconduct by the
Browne campaign, until the recent revelations. My answers to your
specific questions are set forth below, in capital letters.
Very truly yours,
Bill Hall
>>> "James W. Lark, III" jwl3s@virginia.edu> 07/20/01 04:14AM >>
* * *
-----
Questions:
1. Perry Willis has indicated that he performed undisclosed work for
the Browne for President campaign prior to the 1996 national
convention. Were you aware at any point before the April 21, 2001 LNC
meeting that Mr. Willis had performed this work? NO
2. If your answer to question 1 is yes, please indicate how you became
aware of this information and provide your best estimate of the date
when you became aware of this information. N/A
3. If your answer to question 1 is yes, then were you aware before April
21, 2001 that the work by Mr. Willis referred to in question 1
constituted a violation of LNC policy? N/A
4. If your answer to question 1 is yes, then were you aware that Mr.
Willis had concealed the work referred to in question 1 from the LNC?
N/A
5. Do you have any information about any other L.P. employees (past or
present) who during their L.P. employment performed work for the 1996
Browne for President campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate
for nomination) prior to nomination? NO More generally, do you have any
information about L.P. employees (past or present) who during their L.P.
employment performed work for the campaign of any candidate for
president (or vice president) prior to nomination? NO If so, please
provide this information. N/A
6. If you have worked as an L.P. employee, did you receive any payments
during your service as an L.P. employee from the Browne for President
campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the presidential or
vice presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000? N/A; TO THE EXTENT MY
FIRM'S WORK FOR THE LNC AS
LEGAL COUNSEL MIGHT BE DEEMED WORK AS AN "EMPLOYEE" (MY FIRM IS AN
INDEPENDENT
CONTRACTOR, WAS COMPENSATED PRIOR TO THIS YEAR FOR APPROXIMATELY $1000
OF
TRADEMARK WORK, AND IS BEING COMPENSATED FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR
UNDER THE
RETAINER AGREEMENT WITH THE LNC), THE ANSWER IS "NO". If your answer is
yes, please provide a list of
the dates of the payments, the amounts paid, and the stated purpose of
each payment. Did you receive any payments during
your service as an L.P. employee from firms (such as Dean, Spear &
Associates or Optopia) that served in some type of
contractor capacity for the Browne for President campaign (or the
campaign of any other
candidate for the presidential or vice presidential nomination) of 1996
or 2000? N/A; NO (SEE PREVIOUS ANSWER) If your answer is yes, please
provide a list of the dates of the payments,
the amounts paid, and the stated purpose of each payment.
7. Do you have any information as to whether payments from the Browne
for President campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the
presidential or vice presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000 were made
to then-sitting members of the Libertarian National Committee? ONLY THAT
SHARON AYRES DISCLOSED
REPEATEDLY TO THE LNC AT THE TIME THAT SHE WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE 1996
BROWNE
CAMPAIGN. OTHERWISE, NO. Do you have any information as to whether
payments to then-sitting LNC members
were made by firms (such as Dean, Spear & Associates or Optopia) that
served in some type of contractor capacity for the Browne for President
campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the presidential or
vice presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000? NO. If so, please
provide
this information.
(NOTE: Payments from a presidential campaign or one of its contractors
to a then-sitting LNC member is not necessarily an indicator of improper
behavior. However, LNC members have an affirmative duty to inform the
LNC of conflicts of interest.)
8. During the May 23, 2001 meeting of the Executive Committee of the
Libertarian Party, L.P. secretary Steve Givot suggested that answers to
the following questions be sought:
A. What payments were made by the Party to Jack Dean or any firm in
which he was involved in 1995, 1996, and 1997? What were the dates,
amounts, and stated purpose of each such payment?
B. What payments were made by Mr. Dean or any firm in which he was
involved to Mr. Willis during 1995, 1996, and 1997? What were the
dates, amounts, and stated purpose of each such payment?
C. What payments were made by Mr. Dean or any firm in which he was
involved to any L.P. employee other than Mr. Willis during 1995, 1996,
and 1997? What were the dates, amounts, and stated purpose of each
such payment?
Do you have any information pertaining to questions A, B, or C? NO. If
so,
please provide this information.
9. Do you have any additional information that you believe would be
relevant to this inquiry? NO. If so, please provide this information.
--
--
Gary Johnson:
Subject: Re: Help with the Willis matter inquiry
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 15:17:37 -0500
From: Gary Johnson <garyjohnson@compuserve.com>
To: "James W. Lark, III" <jwl3s@virginia.edu>
References: 1 , 2
<SNIP by JWL>
> -----
>
> Questions:
>
> 1. Perry Willis has indicated that he performed undisclosed work for
the
> Browne for President campaign prior to the 1996 national convention.
Were
you
> aware at any point before the April 21, 2001 LNC meeting that Mr.
Willis
had
> performed this work?
>
> 2. If your answer to question 1 is yes, please indicate how you became
aware
> of this information and provide your best estimate of the date when
you
became
> aware of this information.
>
> 3. If your answer to question 1 is yes, then were you aware before
April
21,
> 2001 that the work by Mr. Willis referred to in question 1 constituted
a
> violation of LNC policy?
>
> 4. If your answer to question 1 is yes, then were you aware that Mr.
Willis
> had concealed the work referred to in question 1 from the LNC?
>
> 5. Do you have any information about any other L.P. employees (past
or
> present) who during their L.P. employment performed work for the 1996
Browne
> for President campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for
nomination)
> prior to nomination? More generally, do you have any information about
L.P.
> employees (past or present) who during their L.P. employment performed
work
> for the campaign of any candidate for president (or vice president)
prior
to
> nomination? If so, please provide this information.
>
> 6. If you have worked as an L.P. employee, did you receive any
payments
> during your service as an L.P. employee from the Browne for President
campaign
> (or the campaign of any other candidate for the presidential or vice
> presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000? If your answer is yes,
please
> provide a list of the dates of the payments, the amounts paid, and the
stated
> purpose of each payment. Did you receive any payments during your
service
as
> an L.P. employee from firms (such as Dean, Spear & Associates or
Optopia)
that
> served in some type of contractor capacity for the Browne for
President
> campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the presidential
or
vice
> presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000? If your answer is yes,
please
> provide a list of the dates of the payments, the amounts paid, and the
stated
> purpose of each payment.
>
> 7. Do you have any information as to whether payments from the Browne
for
> President campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the
> presidential or vice presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000 were
made to
> then-sitting members of the Libertarian National Committee? Do you
have
any
> information as to whether payments to then-sitting LNC members were
made
by
> firms (such as Dean, Spear & Associates or Optopia) that served in
some
type
> of contractor capacity for the Browne for President campaign (or the
campaign
> of any other candidate for the presidential or vice presidential
nomination)
> of 1996 or 2000? If so, please provide this information.
>
> (NOTE: Payments from a presidential campaign or one of its
contractors to
a
> then-sitting LNC member is not necessarily an indicator of improper
behavior.
> However, LNC members have an affirmative duty to inform the LNC of
conflicts
> of interest.)
>
> 8. During the May 23, 2001 meeting of the Executive Committee of the
> Libertarian Party, L.P. secretary Steve Givot suggested that answers
to
the
> following questions be sought:
>
> A. What payments were made by the Party to Jack Dean or any firm in
which
he
> was involved in 1995, 1996, and 1997? What were the dates, amounts,
and
> stated purpose of each such payment?
> B. What payments were made by Mr. Dean or any firm in which he was
involved
> to Mr. Willis during 1995, 1996, and 1997? What were the dates,
amounts,
> and stated purpose of each such payment?
> C. What payments were made by Mr. Dean or any firm in which he was
involved
> to any L.P. employee other than Mr. Willis during 1995, 1996, and
1997?
> What were the dates, amounts, and stated purpose of each such payment?
>
> Do you have any information pertaining to questions A, B, or C? If
so,
please
> provide this information.
>
> 9. Do you have any additional information that you believe would be
relevant
> to this inquiry? If so, please provide this information.
>
>
Simply put, I think I don't know anything that you don't already know.
In answer to questions 1 through 5, no, I didn't know about any more
than what Perry Willis and Bill Winter admitted to the LNC in1995. Perry
Willis' self-serving memo this year was a surprise to me.
Question 6 is not applicable.
All I can say about Question 7 is that no Presidential or Vice
Presidential candidate ever paid me any money. I suppose it is possible
that some candidate or candiates made payments to some LNC members,
especially if they worked for a campaign, but I don't know about it.
I have no idea what the answers to question 8 are.
In answer to question 9, no, I don't have any additional information.
Gary Johnson
--
--
Jesse Markowitz:
Subject: Re: Help with the Willis matter inquiry
Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2001 23:54:14 -0400
From: "Jesse N. Markowitz" <Jesse@walrus.com>
To: "James W. Lark, III" <jwl3s@virginia.edu>
References: 1 , 2 , 3
Thank you for writing. I enjoyed seeing you in Houston as well. It
appears that the SPT has been working hard and come up with a lot of
strategies for moving the Libertarian Party forward. I wish I'd been
able to attend more of the sessions around the country, to see the work
and discussion that had gone before. I hope when the final report comes
out, that it includes not only goals and strategies but the details of
the analysis of where we are and where we are going, because I'm very
interested in that part as well.
I am more than happy to answer any questions you may have and help as I
can in the Willis matter. I don't know that I can add much, but for
what its worth, my answers are included after your questions...
Jesse
At 11:56 PM 7/19/2001 -0400, you wrote:
>Dear Jesse:
>
> I hope all is well with you. I am fine, though very busy. It was
great to see you in
Houston; I'm sorry we didn't have more time to chat. Thanks for your
help with the SPT
meeting; I'm glad you were able to attend.
>
I am writing to request your help with the Willis matter inquiry. I
have enclosed below
<SNIP by JWL>
>-----
>
>Questions:
>
>1. Perry Willis has indicated that he performed undisclosed work for
the Browne for
President campaign prior to the 1996 national convention. Were you
aware at any point before
the April 21, 2001 LNC meeting that Mr. Willis
>had performed this work?
I had suspicions for some time, but no proof. I raised the issue with
Steve Dasbach (as chair) by asking some questions (late spring / early
summer of '95). At the August LNC meeting where the issue was discussed,
Perry Willis promised to inform the LNC before doing any more work.
After that meeting, until Perry admitted to doing so, I was not aware
that he had done any additional work.
>
>2. If your answer to question 1 is yes, please indicate how you became
aware of this
information and provide your best estimate of the date when you became
aware of this
information.
>
n/a
>3. If your answer to question 1 is yes, then were you aware before
April 21, 2001 that the
work by Mr. Willis referred to in question 1 constituted a violation of
LNC policy?
>
n/a
>4. If your answer to question 1 is yes, then were you aware that Mr.
Willis had concealed
the work referred to in question 1 from the LNC?
>
n/a
>5. Do you have any information about any other L.P. employees (past or
present) who during
their L.P. employment performed work for the 1996 Browne for President
campaign (or the
campaign of any other candidate for nomination)
>prior to nomination? More generally, do you have any information about
L.P. employees (past
or present) who during their L.P. employment performed work for the
campaign of any candidate
for president (or vice president) prior to
>nomination? If so, please provide this information.
>
no.
>6. If you have worked as an L.P. employee, did you receive any
payments during your service
as an L.P. employee from the Browne for President campaign (or the
campaign of any other
candidate for the presidential or vice
>presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000? If your answer is yes,
please provide a list of
the dates of the payments, the amounts paid, and the stated purpose of
each payment. Did you
receive any payments during your service as
>an L.P. employee from firms (such as Dean, Spear & Associates or
Optopia) that served in
some type of contractor capacity for the Browne for President campaign
(or the campaign of
any other candidate for the presidential or vice
>presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000? If your answer is yes, please
provide a list of
the dates of the payments, the amounts paid, and the stated purpose of
each payment.
>
n/a
>7. Do you have any information as to whether payments from the Browne
for President
campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the presidential or
vice presidential
nomination) of 1996 or 2000 were made to
>then-sitting members of the Libertarian National Committee? Do you have
any information as
to whether payments to then-sitting LNC members were made by firms (such
as Dean, Spear &
Associates or Optopia) that served in some type
>of contractor capacity for the Browne for President campaign (or the
campaign of any other
candidate for the presidential or vice presidential nomination) of 1996
or 2000? If so,
please provide this information.
>
>(NOTE: Payments from a presidential campaign or one of its contractors
to a then-sitting
LNC member is not necessarily an indicator of improper behavior.
However, LNC members have
an affirmative duty to inform the LNC of
>conflicts of interest.)
>
I do not have any information on this.
>8. During the May 23, 2001 meeting of the Executive Committee of the
Libertarian Party,
L.P. secretary Steve Givot suggested that answers to the following
questions be sought:
>
>A. What payments were made by the Party to Jack Dean or any firm in
which he was involved
in 1995, 1996, and 1997? What were the dates, amounts, and stated
purpose of each such
payment?
>B. What payments were made by Mr. Dean or any firm in which he was
involved to Mr. Willis
during 1995, 1996, and 1997? What were the dates, amounts, and stated
purpose of each such
payment?
>C. What payments were made by Mr. Dean or any firm in which he was
involved to any L.P.
employee other than Mr. Willis during 1995, 1996, and 1997? What were
the dates, amounts,
and stated purpose of each such payment?
>
>Do you have any information pertaining to questions A, B, or C? If so,
please provide this
information.
>
no
>9. Do you have any additional information that you believe would be
relevant to this
inquiry? If so, please provide this information.
>
no
--
--
Thea McLean:
Subject: Re: Help with the Willis matter inquiry
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2001 16:05:44 -0700
From: Hugh or Thea McLean <theaandhugh@snowcrest.net>
To: James Lark <jwl3s@virginia.edu>
References: 1
Yes, I received your message and NO, I don't have any additional
information that would of use to you. Thea McLean
--
--
Geoff Neale:
Subject: Re: Help with the Willis matter inquiry
Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2001 09:40:29 -0500
From: Geoffrey Neale <liber8or@austin.rr.com>
To: "James W. Lark, III" <jwl3s@virginia.edu>
References: 1
Jim - I have no problem answering any of the questions you pose, and
really have no suggestions at this time as to how improve the
questions. They seem well thought out and pretty inclusive.
My answers are as follows:
> Questions:
>
> 1. Perry Willis has indicated that he performed undisclosed work for
> the Browne for President campaign prior to the 1996 national
> convention. Were you aware at any point before the April 21, 2001 LNC
> meeting that Mr. Willis had performed this work?
Answer: No.
> 2. If your answer to question 1 is yes, please indicate how you became
> aware of this information and provide your best estimate of the date
> when you became aware of this information.
Not applicable
> 3. If your answer to question 1 is yes, then were you aware before
April
> 21, 2001 that the work by Mr. Willis referred to in question 1
> constituted a violation of LNC policy?
Not applicable
> 4. If your answer to question 1 is yes, then were you aware that Mr.
> Willis had concealed the work referred to in question 1 from the LNC?
Not applicable
> 5. Do you have any information about any other L.P. employees (past
or
> present) who during their L.P. employment performed work for the 1996
> Browne for President campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate
> for nomination) prior to nomination? More generally, do you have any
> information about L.P. employees (past or present) who during their
L.P.
> employment performed work for the campaign of any candidate for
> president (or vice president) prior to nomination? If so, please
> provide this information.
Answer - I have no information or knowledge.
>
> 6. If you have worked as an L.P. employee, did you receive any
payments
> during your service as an L.P. employee from the Browne for President
> campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the presidential
or
> vice presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000? If your answer is yes,
> please provide a list of the dates of the payments, the amounts paid,
> and the stated purpose of each payment. Did you receive any payments
> during your service as an L.P. employee from firms (such as Dean,
Spear
> & Associates or Optopia) that served in some type of contractor
capacity
> for the Browne for President campaign (or the campaign of any other
> candidate for the presidential or vice presidential nomination) of
1996
> or 2000? If your answer is yes, please provide a list of the dates of
> the payments, the amounts paid, and the stated purpose of each
payment.
Answer: I have never worked as an LP employee.
> 7. Do you have any information as to whether payments from the Browne
> for President campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the
> presidential or vice presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000 were
made
> to then-sitting members of the Libertarian National Committee? Do you
> have any information as to whether payments to then-sitting LNC
members
> were made by firms (such as Dean, Spear & Associates or Optopia) that
> served in some type of contractor capacity for the Browne for
President
> campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the presidential
or
> vice presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000? If so, please provide
> this information.
>
> (NOTE: Payments from a presidential campaign or one of its
contractors
> to a then-sitting LNC member is not necessarily an indicator of
improper
> behavior. However, LNC members have an affirmative duty to inform the
> LNC of conflicts of interest.)
Answer: I have no information or knowledge.
>
> 8. During the May 23, 2001 meeting of the Executive Committee of the
> Libertarian Party, L.P. secretary Steve Givot suggested that answers
to
> the following questions be sought:
>
> A. What payments were made by the Party to Jack Dean or any firm in
> which he was involved in 1995, 1996, and 1997? What were the dates,
> amounts, and stated purpose of each such payment?
> B. What payments were made by Mr. Dean or any firm in which he was
> involved to Mr. Willis during 1995, 1996, and 1997? What were the
> dates, amounts, and stated purpose of each such payment?
> C. What payments were made by Mr. Dean or any firm in which he was
> involved to any L.P. employee other than Mr. Willis during 1995, 1996,
> and 1997? What were the dates, amounts, and stated purpose of each
> such payment?
>
> Do you have any information pertaining to questions A, B, or C? If
so,
> please provide this information.
Answer: I have no information or knowledge.
> 9. Do you have any additional information that you believe would be
> relevant to this inquiry? If so, please provide this information.
Answer: I am unaware of any information or knwledge that might in any
way be deemed relevatn to this inquiry.
Geoffrey Neale
--
--
Bill Redpath:
Mr. Redpath informed me during a telephone conversation on June 13 that
he was unaware of any improper action by Mr. Willis (or anyone else)
prior to learning about Mr. Willis memo of May 11.
--
--
Terry Savage:
Subject: Re: Help with the Willis matter inquiry
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2001 19:02:15 -0700
From: TCS <chaos13x@nvbell.net>
To: James Lark <jwl3s@virginia.edu>
References: 1
My answers follow the individual questions below.
Don't spend any more time than you have to with your nose in the dirty
laundry...sorry you have to waste time on this.
I hope the Strategic Planning effort is producing results. I've made a
few observations about that class of issue on the discussion lists.
Good luck!
TCS
=========================================
<SNIP by JWL>
> -----
>
> Questions:
>
> 1. Perry Willis has indicated that he performed undisclosed work for
> the
> Browne for President campaign prior to the 1996 national convention.
> Were
> you aware at any point before the April 21, 2001 LNC meeting that Mr.
> Willis had performed this work?
============================================
I dimly recall hearing some complaints about this, and that I dismissed
them
as whining. I certainly don't recall hearing about anything that I
clearly
considered improper (but then again, I think many folks have their
underwear
twisted up way too tight about this! (feel free to share my comments, by
the
way, edited or unedited, with or without attribution)),
TCS
========================================
> 2. If your answer to question 1 is yes, please indicate how you became
> aware of this information and provide your best estimate of the date
> when
> you became aware of this information.
========================================
It's a very dim memory. I probably heard it on email. I have no clue
when.
TCS
==========================================
> 3. If your answer to question 1 is yes, then were you aware before
April
>
> 21, 2001 that the work by Mr. Willis referred to in question 1
> constituted
> a violation of LNC policy?
==========================================
Mostly, see 1 above. My dim memory is that I remember someone *alleging*
something was done in violation of policy, that I wasn't convinced it
was,
and that if it was, that the policy was too restrictive.
TCS
===========================================
> 4. If your answer to question 1 is yes, then were you aware that Mr.
> Willis had concealed the work referred to in question 1 from the LNC?
=======================================
No
TCS
===========================================
> 5. Do you have any information about any other L.P. employees (past
or
> present) who during their L.P. employment performed work for the 1996
> Browne for President campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate
> for
> nomination) prior to nomination?
========================================
I've heard rumors/allegations that Bill Winter did as well, but I have
no
evidence to that effect.
TCS
======================================
More generally, do you have any
> information about L.P. employees (past or present) who during their
L.P.
>
> employment performed work for the campaign of any candidate for
> president
> (or vice president) prior to nomination? If so, please provide this
> information.
====================================
Not that I can recall.
TCS
===================================
> 6. If you have worked as an L.P. employee, did you receive any
payments
>
> during your service as an L.P. employee from the Browne for President
> campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the presidential
or
>
> vice presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000? If your answer is yes,
> please provide a list of the dates of the payments, the amounts paid,
> and
> the stated purpose of each payment. Did you receive any payments
during
>
> your service as an L.P. employee from firms (such as Dean, Spear &
> Associates or Optopia) that served in some type of contractor capacity
> for
> the Browne for President campaign (or the campaign of any other
> candidate for the presidential or vice presidential nomination) of
1996
> or
> 2000? If your answer is yes, please provide a list of the dates of the
> payments, the amounts paid, and the stated purpose of each payment.
=====================================
I have never worked as an LP employee.
TCS
====================================
> 7. Do you have any information as to whether payments from the Browne
> for
> President campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the
> presidential or vice presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000 were
made
> to
> then-sitting members of the Libertarian National Committee? Do you
have
> any information as to whether payments to then-sitting LNC members
> were made by firms (such as Dean, Spear & Associates or Optopia) that
> served in some type of contractor capacity for the Browne for
President
> campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the presidential
or
>
> vice presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000? If so, please provide
> this
> information.
>
> (NOTE: Payments from a presidential campaign or one of its
contractors
> to
> a then-sitting LNC member is not necessarily an indicator of improper
> behavior. However, LNC members have an affirmative duty to inform the
> LNC
> of conflicts of interest.)
======================================
All second hand stuff (or even more distant), that I don't recall well.
I
dimly remember it being said that Sharon Ayers was paid, but I have no
evidence or specifics.
TCS
====================================
> 8. During the May 23, 2001 meeting of the Executive Committee of the
> Libertarian Party, L.P. secretary Steve Givot suggested that answers
to
> the following questions be sought:
>
> A. What payments were made by the Party to Jack Dean or any firm in
> which
> he was involved in 1995, 1996, and 1997? What were the dates,
amounts,
> and stated purpose of each such payment?
> B. What payments were made by Mr. Dean or any firm in which he was
> involved to Mr. Willis during 1995, 1996, and 1997? What were the
> dates, amounts, and stated purpose of each such payment?
> C. What payments were made by Mr. Dean or any firm in which he was
> involved to any L.P. employee other than Mr. Willis during 1995, 1996,
> and
> 1997? What were the dates, amounts, and stated purpose of each such
> payment?
>
> Do you have any information pertaining to questions A, B, or C? If
so,
> please provide this information.
==================================
I have no info about this.
TCS
============================
>
> 9. Do you have any additional information that you believe would be
> relevant to this inquiry? If so, please provide this information
============================
None.
TCS
--
--
BetteRose Smith:
Subject: Re: Help with the Willis matter inquiry
Date: Sat, 21 Jul 2001 07:29:55 EDT
From: BetteRose@aol.com
To: jwl3s@virginia.edu
Jim,
I regret that I have no information at all on this issue. Good luck
with this investigation, though, as I would like to see all of this out
in the open in a reasonable fashion.
BetteRose
--
--
Mark Tuniewicz:
Subject: RE: Help with the Willis matter inquiry
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 11:57:20 -0400
From: "Mark A. Tuniewicz" <marktun@bigfoot.com>
To: jwlark@virginia.edu
CC: givot@softwarena.com
Dear Mr. Lark:
Please accept this message as my response to your recent request for
information regarding the Willis affair as part of your ongoing
inquiry. By way of cc: I'm asking the LNC Secretary to share this with
the rest of the Committee, unless you object.
First, I'd like to express my deep concern and disappointment relative
to Harry Browne's refusal to cooperate in this inquiry. As a
contributor and volunteer for Browne's campaigns, I feel betrayed.
In my view, unless Mr. Browne fully cooperates with the inquiry prior to
the August LNC meeting, the Committee should vote to permanently and
prospectively cut all ties to Mr. Browne, his campaign & business
associates, and related organizations using the broadest possible
interpretation.
For example, this would include a ban on list rentals to the American
Liberty Foundation, web development by Jack Dean's firm(s), and support
of any type to campaigns that involve Michael Emerling Cloud.
Hopefully, the prospect of such a ban (and pressure from these related
entities) will bring Mr. Browne to the table to answer the question that
everyone wants to hear: What did Harry know, and when did he know it.
And why didn't he disclose it when he found out?
The honesty and integrity demanded by libertarian ethics demands no
less...particularly for someone who holds themselves out as a
standard-bearer.
Second, I'd like to suggest that the Committee also take strong actions
against Mr. Willis in this matter. While you may have been led to
believe that Mr. Willis's deceipt is not actionable, I'd be happy to
refer the Committee to litigators who would be happy to take the case
and pursue money damages, small that they may be. I think it's
important that the Committee show the same dogged determination that
Mssrs. Dasbach & Bergland showed in the matter of Gene Cisevski in this
similar breach-of-trust situation.
Third, I urge the Committee to view with an extremely critical eye the
responses to this inquiry provided by Steve Dasbach. While I've not
been privy to his responses, I suspect a blanket denial on his part as
to any knowlege of the matter.
My experience is that Mssrs. Willis & Dasbach enjoy an intimate working
relationship, and have since the early 1990's when Mr. Dasbach became
Mr. Willis' boss. During the 2000 Browne campaign, for xample, I'd
often observe that Mr. Dasbach was far more familiar with the details of
that campaign's strategy and direction than any member of the LNC,
indicating to me and others a continued intimacy with Mr. Willis.
I'd go so far as to characterize them as mutual confidants, and express
my belief based on their relationship and my 5 years working with Mr.
Dasbach that he most certainly must have been aware of the payments from
Dean, Spear to Mr. Willis.
Fourth, you asked for feedback relative to the manner of the inquiry
itself.
With all due respect to the efforts of the Chairman and the intent of
the Committee, this inquiry is pointless in its current form. No
respondant with anything to hide would give information that would
implicate them, as evidenced by Mr. Browne's lack of cooperation.
I strongly recommend that the in August the Committee vote to employ a
private investigation firm to obtain full and complete facts regarding
the many important questions raised here, and insure that someone other
than the national office (perhaps Bill Hall) be the person involved
directly with the
ongoing work of the investigators, rather than the national office
staff. An investigation firm might have the ability to track other
financial payments made by Mr. Dean's entities to other staff members,
for example. We have no other way of getting this type of information.
In terms of my own knowlege of the matter, my responses to your
questions are listed below.
Should you have further questions, feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Mark Tuniewicz
> -----
>
> Questions:
>
> 1. Perry Willis has indicated that he performed undisclosed work for
> the Browne for President campaign prior to the 1996 national
> convention. Were you aware at any point before the April 21, 2001 LNC
> meeting that Mr. Willis had performed this work?
MAT: Categorically, no. In fact, I observed repeated represenations
made by Mssrs. Willis & Dasbach that no work took place after the 1996
convention.
> 2. If your answer to question 1 is yes, please indicate how you became
> aware of this information and provide your best estimate of the date
> when you became aware of this information.
>
MAT: n/a
> 3. If your answer to question 1 is yes, then were you aware
> before April
> 21, 2001 that the work by Mr. Willis referred to in question 1
> constituted a violation of LNC policy?
MAT: n/a
>
> 4. If your answer to question 1 is yes, then were you aware that Mr.
> Willis had concealed the work referred to in question 1 from the LNC?
>
MAT: n/a
> 5. Do you have any information about any other L.P.
> employees (past or
> present) who during their L.P. employment performed work for the 1996
> Browne for President campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate
> for nomination) prior to nomination? More generally, do you have any
> information about L.P. employees (past or present) who during
> their L.P.
> employment performed work for the campaign of any candidate for
> president (or vice president) prior to nomination? If so, please
> provide this information.
MAT: No.
>
> 6. If you have worked as an L.P. employee, did you receive
> any payments
> during your service as an L.P. employee from the Browne for President
> campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the
> presidential or
> vice presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000? If your answer is yes,
> please provide a list of the dates of the payments, the amounts paid,
> and the stated purpose of each payment. Did you receive any payments
> during your service as an L.P. employee from firms (such as
> Dean, Spear
> & Associates or Optopia) that served in some type of
> contractor capacity
> for the Browne for President campaign (or the campaign of any other
> candidate for the presidential or vice presidential
> nomination) of 1996
> or 2000? If your answer is yes, please provide a list of the dates of
> the payments, the amounts paid, and the stated purpose of
> each payment.
>
MAT: No.
> 7. Do you have any information as to whether payments from the Browne
> for President campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the
> presidential or vice presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000
> were made
> to then-sitting members of the Libertarian National Committee? Do you
> have any information as to whether payments to then-sitting
> LNC members
> were made by firms (such as Dean, Spear & Associates or Optopia) that
> served in some type of contractor capacity for the Browne for
> President
> campaign (or the campaign of any other candidate for the
> presidential or
> vice presidential nomination) of 1996 or 2000? If so, please provide
> this information.
>
> (NOTE: Payments from a presidential campaign or one of its
> contractors
> to a then-sitting LNC member is not necessarily an indicator
> of improper
> behavior. However, LNC members have an affirmative duty to inform the
> LNC of conflicts of interest.)
MAT: No, and No.
>
> 8. During the May 23, 2001 meeting of the Executive Committee of the
> Libertarian Party, L.P. secretary Steve Givot suggested that
> answers to
> the following questions be sought:
>
> A. What payments were made by the Party to Jack Dean or any firm in
> which he was involved in 1995, 1996, and 1997? What were the dates,
> amounts, and stated purpose of each such payment?
> B. What payments were made by Mr. Dean or any firm in which he was
> involved to Mr. Willis during 1995, 1996, and 1997? What were the
> dates, amounts, and stated purpose of each such payment?
> C. What payments were made by Mr. Dean or any firm in which he was
> involved to any L.P. employee other than Mr. Willis during 1995, 1996,
> and 1997? What were the dates, amounts, and stated purpose of each
> such payment?
>
> Do you have any information pertaining to questions A, B, or
> C? If so,
> please provide this information.
>
MAT: Regarding A., I'm not certain of the year we established the
defendyourprivacy.com web site, but detailed information about payments
from the Party to Mr. Dean's WebCommanders hosting & design business are
available online in our filed FEC reports, in our office computer
records, or in hard-copy form showing appropriate payment approval by
Mr. Dasbach.
MAT: Regarding B & C, I have no information on these topics.
> 9. Do you have any additional information that you believe would be
> relevant to this inquiry? If so, please provide this information.
MAT: N/A
--
Subject: RE: Help with the Willis matter inquiry
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 07:59:20 -0400
From: "Mark A. Tuniewicz" <marktun@bigfoot.com>
To: "James W. Lark, III'" <jwl3s@virginia.edu>
Hello again Jim:
Some brief responses to your most recent message follow. Please feel
free to ask for further clarification if necessary.
Jim Lark wrote:
>Without commenting upon what the LNC may
> or may not have
> been led to believe about actionability regarding Mr. Willis'
> actions, allow me
> to inquire whether you have received communications which
> purport to indicate
> what legal advice the LNC has received involving Mr. Willis.
> If so, when and
> from whom did you receive those communications?
>
I have not. However, I've drawn my conclusions based on the actions (or
lack thereof) of the LNC and EC to date in this matter.
> 2) If you have suggestions concerning litigators who are
> willing to take cases
> to pursue monetary damages even if they are very small,
> please provide your
> suggestions at your earliest convenience.
>
Most litigators that I've used have been more than willing to work on a
time & expenses basis. (You may recall that was the case when the LNC
sued a former LNC member in D.C.) I suspect that Mr. Buttrick, for
example, would be easily able to refer such a person to the Committee.
If that's not an option, then you might consider a resource such as
martindale.com, which allows for geographic searchs of
attorney's by practice area.
> 3) Do you have specific information suggesting that Steve
> Dasbach was aware
> that Mr. Willis was performing undisclosed work for the
> Browne campaign
> following the August, 1995 LNC meeting? If so, please
> provide it to me as soon
> as possible.
As mentioned in my previous response, my observation over several years
of the extremely intimate working relationship between Willis & Dasbach
in multiple roles, as well as Mr. Dasbach's ongoing knowlege of minute
details of the Browne campaign's activities obtained via Mr. Willis,
leave me
comfortable with the notion that Mr. Dasbach was aware of the
transgressions in question. Mssrs. Willis, Dasbach, & Browne are too
smart, in my opinion, to allow anyone to have "specific information"
sufficient to meet your needs in this area, Jim.
>
> In your response to question 1, your answer is as follows:
>
> Categorically, no. In fact, I observed repeated
> represenations made by Mssrs.
> Willis & Dasbach that no work took place after the 1996 convention.
>
> It is not completely clear to me what you are saying in your
> response. It
> appears that you are saying that Mr. Willis and Mr. Dasbach repeatedly
> represented that Mr. Willis did no work for the Browne
> campaign after the 1996
> convention. However, the LNC is not necessarily concerned
> about work performed
> by Mr. Willis for the Browne campaign after Mr. Browne
> received the presidential
> nomination at the convention. The LNC is clearly concerned
> about those who knew
> that Mr. Willis was performing work for the Browne campaign
> after the August,
> 1995 LNC meeting (in particular, any undisclosed work
> performed by Mr. Willis
> for the Browne campaign from the end of the Dec. '95 LNC
> meeting and the
> nomination of Mr. Browne in July, 1996). Thus, I would
> appreciate it if you
> would clarify your statement.
Other than the disclosures made back in 95' which prompted the change in
the LNC policy manual, as well as the recent Willis disclosure of lying
to the LNC, I have no knowlege of any undisclosed work performed by
Willis for the Browne campaign during his time as National Director.
Sorry for any
confusion in my prior response.
> >
> Thank you very much for your feedback concerning the
> inquiry into the Willis
> matter. I appreciate your taking the time and trouble to
> assist with the
> inquiry. Please give my regards to Karin.
My pleasure. Please let me know if you'd like a referral to a private
investigation firm.
With best wishes,
Mark Tuniewicz