The Libertarian Party of Kentucky takes it's bylaws very seriously.
Former State LPKY Chair Ken Moleman explains how the Kentucky Democratic Party ignored theirs, and hurt their voters.
I'm not one to care much about how the other parties run themselves, but when they're receiving taxpayer dollars to run certain parts of their operation, I take notice when they abuse it.
The Kentucky Democratic Party (KDP) has a specific bylaw that prevents party machinery from endorsing candidates in a Democratic primary. It's a smart bylaw. It is there to prevent the party machinery from hand-picking candidates. (Incidentally, LPKY should consider implementing such a bylaw at the 2016 state convention).
Earlier this year, before the primary, KDP held a unity rally and invited only the “chosen ones” to participate. The “outsider” candidates were specifically forbidden from participating. Geoff Young, a “Ron Paul” Democrat, was the alternative to Jack Conway in the Democratic Party primary for governor this year. He asked to participate in this rally and was told he was not permitted. This clearly violates KDP bylaws.
This matters for two reasons:
Ken Moellman is the former State Chair of LPKY. He was a candidate for State Treasurer in 2011, and has assisted many Libertarian campaigns. He now owns the polling firm Northern Kentucky Opinion
Former State LPKY Chair Ken Moleman explains how the Kentucky Democratic Party ignored theirs, and hurt their voters.
I'm not one to care much about how the other parties run themselves, but when they're receiving taxpayer dollars to run certain parts of their operation, I take notice when they abuse it.
The Kentucky Democratic Party (KDP) has a specific bylaw that prevents party machinery from endorsing candidates in a Democratic primary. It's a smart bylaw. It is there to prevent the party machinery from hand-picking candidates. (Incidentally, LPKY should consider implementing such a bylaw at the 2016 state convention).
Earlier this year, before the primary, KDP held a unity rally and invited only the “chosen ones” to participate. The “outsider” candidates were specifically forbidden from participating. Geoff Young, a “Ron Paul” Democrat, was the alternative to Jack Conway in the Democratic Party primary for governor this year. He asked to participate in this rally and was told he was not permitted. This clearly violates KDP bylaws.
This matters for two reasons:
- It's fraud. Democratic voters assume their party is run within the rules of their party. When the rules are violated in a nonchalant manner, it means that all the rules can be ignored at will.
- The primary process for the Ds and Rs is a taxpayer-funded process. I helped pay for that election – even if it was against my will. As such, I'm very upset that the state is using my money to allow parties to hand-pick establishment candidates, which they will then foist upon me in the general election. All the while, making it difficult for any outsider to run as anything but a D or an R. Or said simply, it's rigging the election.
Ken Moellman is the former State Chair of LPKY. He was a candidate for State Treasurer in 2011, and has assisted many Libertarian campaigns. He now owns the polling firm Northern Kentucky Opinion
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