FW: IP Laws Shouldn't Exist

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From: Ben Weir <ben....@lp.org>
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2026 3:07:25 AM (UTC+00:00) Monrovia, Reykjavik
To: LNC Board <lncb...@lp.org>; lnc-public_forward <lnc-publi...@lp.org>
Subject: IP Laws Shouldn't Exist

Colleagues,

I'll be brief, because the principle here isn't complicated.

The LNC is now pursuing or reserving funds for several separate legal actions involving intellectual property claims against libertarians. We have a motion to reserve $20,000 to enforce LNC v. Saliba. We have a retainer authorized to sue Angela McArdle.

All of this is premised on the legitimacy of intellectual property law… which is a “legal” regime that the overwhelming majority of serious libertarian theorists, including Rothbard himself, have concluded is incompatible with property rights. You cannot own an idea. You cannot own a word. Trademark law is state-granted monopoly privilege over language and symbols. It is not libertarian. It never was.

And yet here we are… spending tens of thousands of member dollars to weaponize that system against other libertarians over branding disputes.

David Nolan founded this party on the idea that the state shouldn't be used to coerce peaceful people. We are using state force, state courts, and state-backed legal threats to settle internal political disputes over who gets to use a name. Luchini is a shit bag and total bum, and his actions are damaging to our movement and completely unethical. And everyone on this board knows how much of a waste it is to pursue a lawsuit against former Chair McArdle, but too many of you would rather win caucus wars than just be principled and ideologically correct. As someone on the investigative committee, the weak case is a huge waste of time and we will probably be laughed out of the court room by the judge. 

This is the behavior of an organization that has forgotten what it believes. If the LP can't hold its coalition together without suing its own members, the branding is the least of our problems.

I'd encourage every member of this committee to think long and hard about the reason we all became libertarians in the first place. We cannot fight the state if we are fighting each other. And you can't sue your way to ideological credibility. IP laws shouldn't exist.

In Liberty,

Ben Weir

Region 6 Alt

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From: Andrew Chadderdon <andrew.c...@lp.org>
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2026 3:24:04 AM (UTC+00:00) Monrovia, Reykjavik
To: Ben Weir <ben....@lp.org>; LNC Board <lncb...@lp.org>; lnc-public_forward <lnc-publi...@lp.org>
Subject: Re: IP Laws Shouldn't Exist

Is doing fraud libertarian? 

Andrew Chadderdon

Region 1 Rep | Libertarian National Committee

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From: Ben Weir <ben....@lp.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2026 11:07:25 PM

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From: Ben Weir <ben....@lp.org>
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2026 3:35:36 AM (UTC+00:00) Monrovia, Reykjavik
To: Andrew Chadderdon <andrew.c...@lp.org>; LNC Board <lncb...@lp.org>; lnc-public_forward <lnc-publi...@lp.org>

Subject: Re: IP Laws Shouldn't Exist

Andrew,

Thank you for the question. 

Obviously, fraud isn't libertarian. But trademark law isn't fraud enforcement, because it requires no victim, no proven harm, and no deception. 

It's a government-granted monopoly over language administered by the USPTO. If the claim is actually fraud, you should bring a fraud claim. 

The lawsuit that you want to engage in is for trademark litigation, and those aren't even close to the same thing.

And I am still against the LNC engaging in any lawsuits when we have no money.

In Liberty,

Ben

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From: Andrew Chadderdon <andrew.c...@lp.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2026 11:24:04 PM

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From: Austin Martin <austin...@lp.org>
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2026 3:40:21 AM (UTC+00:00) Monrovia, Reykjavik
To: Ben Weir <ben....@lp.org>; Andrew Chadderdon <andrew.c...@lp.org>; LNC Board <lncb...@lp.org>; lnc-public_forward <lnc-publi...@lp.org>

Subject: Re: IP Laws Shouldn't Exist

Aloha, Mr. Weir, 

They are impersonating our party, taking our ballot access, confusing our voters, playing games with our data, obtaining donations using our name, suing us over damage they inflicted, destroying our good name, working with our enemies, and working with an apparently illegal foreign influence network enabled by a gatekeeping club of corrupt professionals around the LNC and state parties. 

It is unequivocally fraud. 

Stop making excuses for misconduct. 

Much love!

Austin Martin 

R1

Join the fight and support the removal of unregistered foreign agents from the LP by donating at the link below:

Lp.org/martindonor 

Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono

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From: Ben Weir <ben....@lp.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2026 5:35:36 PM

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From: Ben Weir <ben....@lp.org>
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2026 3:45:57 AM (UTC+00:00) Monrovia, Reykjavik
To: Austin Martin <austin...@lp.org>; Andrew Chadderdon <andrew.c...@lp.org>; LNC Board <lncb...@lp.org>; lnc-public_forward <lnc-publi...@lp.org>

Subject: Re: IP Laws Shouldn't Exist

Austin,

Obtaining donations under false pretenses is fraud. 

Misappropriating ballot access is an actionable offense too. 

We should make the case with a cause of action that matches the conduct. What we shouldn't do is try to say trademark litigation is the same thing as fighting fraud just because the people on the other side are bad actors.

IP laws are illegitimate and so is its monopolized State enforcement.

-Ben

Sent from my T-Mobile 5G Device
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From: Austin Martin <austin...@lp.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2026 11:40:21 PM

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From: Austin Martin <austin...@lp.org>
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2026 3:56:57 AM (UTC+00:00) Monrovia, Reykjavik

To: Ben Weir <ben....@lp.org>; Andrew Chadderdon <andrew.c...@lp.org>; LNC Board <lncb...@lp.org>; lnc-public_forward <lnc-publi...@lp.org>
Subject: Re: IP Laws Shouldn't Exist

Aloha, Mr. Weir,

Speaking plainly: they are openly aligned with Soros, foreign principals, our political adversaries, and the ruling cadre of globalist power-brokers. 

Like it or not, IP law is one of the only tools we have as a party to uphold our cause in the face of premeditated, tactical, political fraud. 

Its not a matter of whether I agree with the deplorable state of US IP Law — but whether I will do what's right by my people to defend their 1^st amendment right to participate in the political process.  

These people want to dilute and remove that right from libertarians. I will use what tools are available to stop their NAP-violating conduct, no matter how much hate they throw at me. 

I am afraid I really have no choice. 

My conscience compels me to stand up and say "hell, no!"

Much love!

Austin Martin — R1

Join the fight and support the removal of unregistered foreign agents from the LP by donating at the link below:

Lp.org/martindonor 

Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono

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From: Ben Weir <ben....@lp.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2026 5:45:57 PM

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From: Ben Weir <ben....@lp.org>
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2026 4:02:08 AM (UTC+00:00) Monrovia, Reykjavik

To: Austin Martin <austin...@lp.org>; Andrew Chadderdon <andrew.c...@lp.org>; LNC Board <lncb...@lp.org>; lnc-public_forward <lnc-publi...@lp.org>
Subject: Re: IP Laws Shouldn't Exist

It's a bit ironic that the tool you're reaching for is fundamentally leftist in nature. Lol

I said my piece. I appreciate your perspective, but recommend considering my advice and changing the language/rhetoric of the motion if it's really about fraud and not IP law.

Thanks.

-Ben

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From: Austin Martin <austin...@lp.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2026 11:56:57 PM

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From: Austin Martin <austin...@lp.org>
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2026 4:06:45 AM (UTC+00:00) Monrovia, Reykjavik

To: Ben Weir <ben....@lp.org>; Andrew Chadderdon <andrew.c...@lp.org>; LNC Board <lncb...@lp.org>; lnc-public_forward <lnc-publi...@lp.org>
Subject: Re: IP Laws Shouldn't Exist

Likewise, you have a fair point. I can totally relate to where you're coming from and I respect the principle (even if we strongly disagree on this situation). 

Much love!! 

Austin

Join the fight and support the removal of unregistered foreign agents from the LP by donating at the link below:

Lp.org/martindonor 

Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono

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From: Ben Weir <ben....@lp.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2026 6:02:08 PM

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From: Andrew Chadderdon <andrew.c...@lp.org>
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2026 4:56:39 AM (UTC+00:00) Monrovia, Reykjavik
To: Austin Martin <austin...@lp.org>; Ben Weir <ben....@lp.org>; LNC Board <lncb...@lp.org>; lnc-public_forward <lnc-publi...@lp.org>

Subject: Re: IP Laws Shouldn't Exist

Thanks for the reply Ben,

Some follow up...

"because it requires no victim, no proven harm, and no deception."

Was the LPMI not a victim when its bank account was effectively stolen?

Was there not harm when those funds were withheld from the organization for over three years?

Was there no deception when opposing counsel told the bank I (the rightful chair) was acting fraudulently — and was then later hired by the current LPMI board to argue, in the same case, that those very actions are irrelevant to who the party actually is?

That conduct is part of the same course of dealing that gave rise to LNC v. Saliba — and it is the trademark injunction that stopped it. The current LPMI board, through the same attorney, is now using the Comerica case to litigate away the consequences of that conduct before the trademark judgment can be fully enforced. 

Defending LNC v. Saliba is not abstract — it is what keeps that conduct from being ratified in another forum.  And it is what will keep similar conduct from continuing in New Mexico. 

Andrew Chadderdon

Region 1 Rep | Libertarian National Committee

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From: Austin Martin <austin...@lp.org>
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2026 12:06:45 AM