April 2, 2002

NEWS RELEASE

Stanley for U.S. Senate
Web site: http://www.stanley2002.org
Contact: Rick Stanley
Campaign office: 303.329.0481
Email: rick@stanley2002.org

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Colorado Libertarian Party Chairman Reckless in Statements about U.S. Senate Cadidate

Rick Stanley, U.S. Senate candidate from the state of Colorado, with an independent third party, i.e. The Libertarian Party, made the following announcement:

John Berntson, chair of the Libertarian Party of Colorado, made several statements to the media regarding Mr. Stanley's Million Gun March that are reckless, libelous and slanderous. The statements are: "I find Rick Stanley’s possible call for armed rebellion may violate the standards of his chosen party. The Libertarian party does not condone any violent confrontation with the U.S. government." While the LP upholds the right of the people to keep and bear arms, in any circumstances, and their right to peacefully assemble, Berntson believes that Stanley's comments regarding "the activation of the 2nd American Revolution Militia may violate the oath Libertarians take: We do not believe in the initiation of force to achieve political goals. I believe that Mr. Stanley may be violating this pledge," said Berntson. "I ask him to clarify his position."

"I stand by my statement of March 27, 2002, as stated. Period," was Stanley's response. "Nowhere does it say anything like Berntson's words in my statement. John Berntson has made assumptions from my statement and then twisted them around as if to imply, that Stanley said, Berntson's assumptions." Stanley’s lawyer, Paul Grant, a libertarian of some note in his own right, as an ex-candidate for governor of Colorado, and past chairman of the Colorado Libertarian Party, echoed Stanley’s charges. "These statements are extremely reckless, and have no basis in fact."

"I am demanding an immediate apology from John Berntson, and the Libertarian Party of Colorado, or the immediate resignation of Mr. Berntson as chairman of the Colorado Libertarian Party, for his reckless, libelous, and slanderous remarks and written statement in an official media release dated March 29, 2002, from Kent McNaughton, Public Information Director of the Colorado Libertarian Party," said Stanley. "Mr. McNaughton distanced himself from these statements and defended Stanley in a letter dated March 30, 2002 which has been reprinted on my website at www.stanley2002.org, in the letters section, which can be referenced on the front page of the website."

In addition, Boulder County Libertarian Party chairman Joe Johnson said in a Colorado Daily article, dated April 1, 2002, by staff writer Michael A. deYoanna, "Though members of the party would like to see gun control laws repealed, Stanley's press release runs counter to a sworn oath members of the party take. What I gathered by the statement is that it endorses violence to achieve his political goals. The idea of advocating armed revolution is counter to the party."

Mr. Stanley’s response to Joe Johnson is similar. "Using the position as chairman of the Boulder affiliate or the Colorado state party chair, to pronounce judgment on a U.S. Senate candidate, based solely upon each of their own respective assumptions is a reckless, libelous, and slanderous abuse of party authority, and I must ask for either the resignations of these two men, or their respective apologies. The Colorado Libertarian State Party bylaws strictly forbid this type of election tampering by party officials before the Libertarian State Convention, which will be held in Leadville, Colorado on May 17th - 19th, 2002."

Mr. Berntson aggravated the tampering issue by stating in the Colorado Daily article, "That the party has no way to discipline Stanley. The party’s state board is 'split' on the matter.  This will probably factor into how we choose a Senate candidate."

"To say that I have been damaged by this kind of character assassination would be putting it mildly," stated Mr. Stanley. "This movement within the Colorado Libertarian upper echelon ranks to discredit me is unworthy of appointed or elected party officials."

Rick Stanley is currently seeking the Libertarian Party of Colorado's nomination in May as their U.S. Senate candidate in this year's election. More information about Rick's campaign can be found on his web site located at http://www.stanley2002.org.

For information about the Libertarian Party of Colorado please visit http://www.lp.org. 

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Rick is available for media interviews about his grassroots campaign for U.S. Senate.  For more information please call Rick at 303.329.0481.

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