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43-639: The caucus has support of some prominent libertarians, such as comedian Dave Smith , political commentator Tom Woods , and radio host Scott Horton . Ron Paul once called the caucus "the libertarian wing of the Libertarian Party." The caucus has also been highly controversial, and has been accused by their critics of harboring bigotry or being plants of the Republican Party, which the Mises Caucus denies. The Mises Caucus has shifted

86-724: A " fellow traveler ", according to the SPLC. In 2021, The New Republic called Smith "a Nazi sympathizer". The SPLC noted that Smith is Jewish and has disagreed with far-right figures on the creation of a white ethnostate and the alt-right 's tactics. Debating with Fuentes, the SPLC said, Smith argued for "hard-right libertarian viewpoints". In an interview with Nick Gillespie , Smith defended his friendliness towards alt-right figures, saying "People who listen to my podcasts have no doubt about where I stand on all of these issues" and said that his libertarian beliefs are "the antithesis of National Socialism ." Smith has said he will not support

129-475: A 2017 Reason interview that he "became a libertarian through the Ron Paul movement". He has opposed what he sees as big tech hegemony, describing it as "the biggest threat to liberty" aside from the "tyranny of COVID-19 ". He believes vaccine mandates are an infringement of personal liberty and told Reason in 2021 that he did not plan to vaccinate himself or his child against COVID-19. Smith defended

172-531: A Paralegal Certificate from UCLA Extension in 2013. She is also trained as a craniosacral therapist through the Upledger Institute. McArdle was the Libertarian nominee in the 2017 California's 34th congressional district special election . She finished the primary in 17th place out of a field of 22 candidates with 0.8%. McArdle ran again for the seat in 2018 , and finished in 3rd place in

215-480: A Twitter space with Chase Oliver , Angela McArdle , and other Libertarian Party figures. He admitted that, after the second cabinet of Donald Trump did not include the appointment of any Libertarians to the cabinet, that they had "lost" the battle to keep "warhawks" out of the cabinet. According to Smith, he was raised in Brooklyn, New York by his single mother. Smith has two children with his wife, Lauren. He

258-608: A field of 3 candidates with 8.4%. In 2021 and 2022, McArdle was a candidate for Chair of the Libertarian National Committee . She was endorsed by the Mises Caucus , of which she was also a board member. She was elected to the position at the 2022 Libertarian National Convention on May 28. At Porcfest 2021, an annual libertarian festival held in New Hampshire, Executive Director of

301-482: A fire in anyone's hearts". During the COVID-19 pandemic , the caucus strongly opposed lockdowns , mask mandates , vaccine passports and vaccine mandates . The Mises Caucus also criticized the wider party for being silent and "not taking a stand". The Mises Caucus believes the Libertarian Party should focus running political candidates for local offices rather than the statewide or federal offices, since they view

344-538: Is Jewish and has stated that he is the grandchild of a Holocaust survivor . Angela McArdle Angela Elise McArdle (born June 7, 1983) is an American politician from Texas and California who was elected on May 28, 2022 as the 22nd and current chair of the Libertarian National Committee . She was also the Secretary of the Libertarian Party of California from April 2018 to April 2019, and

387-725: Is a member of the Mises Caucus of the Libertarian Party . Smith hosts the libertarian podcast Part of the Problem. Smith has criticized some COVID-19 policies , such as vaccine passports . In 2013, Smith was featured as one of the New Faces at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He was a featured performer on the New York Comedy Festival's "New York's Funniest" showcase in 2014 and 2015. He hosts

430-538: Is considered to be a close friend of Rogan's . On September 11, 2017, Smith released his first comedy special, Libertas . He was the MC for FreedomFest , a libertarian festival, in 2021, and a featured speaker there in 2022. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), Smith was running the Libertarian Party 's social media, but he has denied this saying that he only "helped with

473-582: The 2018 Libertarian National Convention . Sarwark defeated Smith, 65–22%. The day prior to the convention, Woods and the caucus organized a parallel event called the Take Human Action Bash, featuring Scott Horton and Ron Paul as speakers, with the latter calling the caucus "the libertarian wing of the Libertarian Party". In 2019, the Mises Caucus launched a political action committee , Mises PAC, to raise money for Libertarian candidates. The caucus supported Jacob Hornberger 's campaign in

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516-699: The 2020 Libertarian Party presidential primaries and again endorsed Smith for party chairman. Both were defeated in their respective races at the 2020 Libertarian National Convention . In June 2021, the Mises-controlled New Hampshire state affiliate (LPNH) made controversial tweets calling for " legalizing child labor ", repealing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , and re-opening Gitmo "so that Anthony Fauci and every governor that locked their state down can be sent there". In response, LPNH chair Jilletta Jarvis took control of

559-720: The 2024 Libertarian Party presidential primaries . In February 2023, McArdle spoke at the Rage Against the War Machine Rally, co-hosted with the People's Party , where she called on a cut to all aid to Ukraine, and for Ukraine to surrender all of its Russian-occupied territories . In June, McArdle also wrote an op-ed for Newsweek arguing that Russian forces were not committing a genocide in Ukraine . McArdle notably endorsed Libertarian nominee Chase Oliver in

602-547: The 2024 United States presidential election as a vehicle for Donald Trump 's victory. She said that Oliver would take more votes from the Democratic nominee, and that it would be challenging to get libertarians and right of center independents to vote for him, so it would make the most sense to make Oliver a spoiler candidate for the Democrats. In mid-July 2024, McArdle entered a heated dispute with Caryn Ann Harlos,

645-563: The Free State Project , Jeremy Kauffman and McArdle debated which strategy is more effective, the libertarian party strategy or the free state movement strategy. Kauffman argued that, "There are more people in this room that are elected members to the NH House of Representatives and former members of the Libertarian Party than there are Libertarian Party members nationwide." McArdle then counter-argued that while she wants to see

688-566: The Keystone Party of Pennsylvania splintered off from the Libertarian Party as a result of the that year's Mises Caucus takeover in the state. In 2023, the Libertarian Party of Michigan entered a leadership dispute stemming from the July 2022 removal of its Michigan Mises PAC-affiliated chair. This led to a subsequent trademark lawsuit filing by the LNC. Since the 2022 takeover of the LNC,

731-631: The Libertarian Party of Kentucky when it criticized proposed vaccine passports by comparing them to yellow stars that Jews were forced to wear. Reason described him as "a vocal opponent of wokeness and political correctness". An admirer of the anarcho-capitalist economist Murray Rothbard , he told Reason that like Rothbard he would abolish government if he could. Smith has been noted for interviews and debates with far-right figures, such as Gavin McInnes , Nick Fuentes , Richard Spencer , and Christopher Cantwell . Smith has called Fuentes

774-460: The Part of the Problem podcast and cohosts the comedy podcast Legion of Skanks . According to PorcFest , Part of the Problem is one of the top two libertarian podcasts in the world. On Part of the Problem , Smith has interviewed political figures such as Vivek Ramaswamy and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Smith has also made repeated appearances on The Joe Rogan Experience and Timcast and

817-406: The 2024 Libertarian Party nominee, Chase Oliver , saying that he did not do enough to fight COVID-19 policies, such as lockdowns and vaccine mandates. Smith had the same criticism for the party's 2020 nominee, Jo Jorgensen . In 2024 Smith endorsed Donald Trump and said that he would vote for Trump. Smith cited Trump's promise made at the 2024 Libertarian Party National Convention to "...commute

860-540: The Executive Committee on July 30. This meeting opened with McArdle attempting to transition the meeting to an executive session, so that McArdle would have more power over votes, in a 3-3 tie this motion failed. McArdle began by arguing that the LNC cannot indemnify Harlos due to her lawsuit and for acting outside "your bylaws-mandated duties" due to being in conflict with the LNC as such she should be removed from her position. In response Harlos stated she

903-585: The Free State Project succeed, it is her contention that the Free State Project could not have existed without the political infrastructure provided by the LP developed over the course of five decades. On December 3, 2022, McArdle became the first known National Chair in the United States who has given birth during her tenure. McArdle was openly critical of Joe Exotic 's short-lived campaign in

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946-525: The LNC executive met for a vote on blocking the fundraiser with the Executive Committee voted 6 in favor and 11 against, meaning that the joint fundraiser would go through. Later that day, RFK Jr. announced on twitter that his campaign has signed the joint fundraiser, and that it was now in effect. On July 27, Harlos sued the Colorado affiliate, and their chairwoman Hannah Goodman, for their support of RFK Jr. in response McArdle called an emergency session of

989-571: The Libertarian Party are concerned about the Mises Caucus winning control of the party at the May 26 national convention, ushering in an era of collaboration between the U.S.'s largest third party and the hard-right movement inside the Republican Party ". The SPLC said that Caucus chair and founder Michael Heise had cited donations received from Patrick M. Byrne and nominated Daryl Brooks for Governor of Pennsylvania. Both Byrne and Brooks promoted

1032-577: The Libertarian Party further toward the right ever since their party’s national convention in May 2022. As of 2024, the Mises Caucus controls the positions of Secretary and Chair on the Libertarian National Committee as well as 37 state affiliates . In August 2017, in the aftermath of the Unite the Right rally , Libertarian National Committee chairman Nicholas Sarwark and vice-chairman Arvin Vohra criticized

1075-562: The Mises Caucus of having a "toxic culture" and "bad actors" that is "destroying and driving people away from the party". In June 2021, former congressman Justin Amash criticized the Mises-controlled New Hampshire affiliate for " edgelording " and being unprofessional in their messaging. Former New Hampshire legislator Caleb Q. Dyer criticized the caucus for claiming neutrality in the culture war "while picking

1118-500: The Mises Institute of being white nationalist and alt-right . The Mises Caucus formed in the aftermath of this feud to oppose Sarwark, and became one of the fastest-growing factions within the Libertarian Party . The caucus is named after the economist Ludwig von Mises and is "dedicated to [his] beliefs and works". In February 2018, the Mises Caucus endorsed LNC member Joshua Smith to challenge Sarwark for party chair in

1161-481: The Mises faction had violated the national party's Statement of Principles. Both Jarvis and Bishop-Henchman resigned from their positions after the LNC rejected the disaffiliation motion. In 2021, Mises Caucus board member Angela McArdle announced her intention to run for party chair. She was later endorsed by the caucus. At the 2022 Libertarian National Convention , McArdle won the party chair election with over 69% of

1204-491: The National Secretary of the Libertarian Party, due to McArdle approving a "joint fundraiser" with RFK Jr. 's campaign . Harlos argued that the vote to approve the joint fundraiser did not pass the threshold specified in LP bylaws, and that by forcing it through regardless McArdle violated even more bylaws and exceeded her power as chairwoman. Harlos then petitioned the Libertarian Party's judicial committee, with

1247-526: The Twitter". Smith considered running in the 2024 Libertarian Party presidential primaries but ultimately decided against it. He also declined to run as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s vice presidential candidate, citing Kennedy's support for Israel in its war in Gaza . Smith spoke at the 2024 Libertarian National Convention . Smith is a member of the Mises Caucus of the Libertarian Party. Smith said in

1290-458: The conspiracy theory that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump , the SPLC said. Dave Smith (comedian) David Smith (born April 20, 1983) is an American stand-up comedian, podcaster, and libertarian political commentator. He has frequently appeared on Fox News Channel 's Kennedy and The Greg Gutfeld Show . Additionally, he was a recurring panelist on CNN 's S.E. Cupp: Unfiltered . Smith

1333-448: The former party treasurer, also filed an amicus brief in support of Harlos arguing that McArdle's cooperation with the RFK campaign is sabotaging Chase Oliver's campaign. Hagopian also argued that McArdle illegally made the meeting to approve the RFK fundraiser as an "emergency" meeting to bypass receiving the required number of votes of libertarian delegates. Harlos would then move to put

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1376-515: The fundraiser on hold until the Judicial Committee reaches a verdict, with McArdle quickly blocking the motion, stating that Harlos was " dilatory and out of order." Harlos responded saying that her motion wasn't dilatory, since it would only hold the fundraiser's approval if the vote passes, to which McArdle again called Harlos as "dilatory and unprofessional" and asked her to rescind her judicial case and her motion to delay. On July 20

1419-431: The largely Mises Caucus-aligned leadership has overseen a decline in party revenue. The Mises Caucus has backed Michael Rectenwald in the 2024 Libertarian Party presidential primaries . The Mises Caucus platform states that they: Prior to the 2022 Libertarian National Convention, the Mises Caucus was highly critical of the Libertarian National Committee and the pragmatic faction of the party, and stated their goal

1462-532: The latter as too unrealistic. Additionally they believe in working with the Republican Party to achieve policy objectives, rather than running candidates against them, particularly in statewide and federal offices. The Mises Caucus has been highly controversial within and outside the Libertarian Party. The Southern Poverty Law Center classifies the group as far-right . The caucus has been accused of harboring racists , anti-semites , and transphobes . In his resignation letter as LNC chair, Bishop-Henchman accused

1505-468: The leadership of the Mises Institute think tank – specifically president Jeff Deist and senior fellow Tom Woods – for making nationalist statements in the weeks prior to the rally, particularly in an article written by Deist which included the phrase " blood and soil ". Sarwark also criticized Woods's defense of Murray Rothbard 's paleolibertarian strategy, while Vohra accused

1548-485: The right-wing side", and called it disingenuous. In December 2021, Jeremy Thompson, Libertarian Party of Massachusetts Director of Operations explained to the Libertarian National Committee how the comments from Mises-controlled Libertarian Party of New Hampshire were not just "mean words" but "actual harassment". In May 2022, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) said that "Members of

1591-435: The sentence of Ross Ulbricht on the first day [of being elected president]...", as a major part of his reasoning for voting for Trump. Smith also said on an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience after Trump had been declared the winner of the presidential election that Trump "...better follow through on that promise and free Ross, because a lot of libertarians got behind Trump because of that promise..." In 2024, Smith hosted

1634-493: The signatures of 188 of the 2024 delegates, arguing that McArdle violated bylaws Articles 2, 3.1, 14.1, 14.3, and 14.4. Harlos additionally argued that efforts by the Colorado Libertarian Party to name RFK Jr. as their nominee instead of the nominated Libertarian candidate, Chase Oliver , as proof McArdle is working with the RFK campaign against the libertarian party's own candidate. Todd Hagopian ,

1677-452: The state party's digital assets and Twitter account and disavowed the Mises Caucus members of the state party committee. This move was widely condemned by many in the caucus (and some in the party outside the caucus), including 2020 vice presidential nominee Spike Cohen and former U.S. congressman Justin Amash . LNC Chair Bishop-Henchman moved for the LNC to disaffiliate the LPNH, alleging that

1720-642: The vote. The caucus also won all the leadership positions on the LNC, and thus completed the takeover of the Libertarian Party by the Mises Caucus. In response to the Mises Caucus-controlled LNC, the Libertarian Party affiliates in the States of New Mexico , Virginia , and Massachusetts disaffiliated from the national Libertarian Party; in late 2022, the former affiliates formed the Association of Liberty State Parties . In April 2022,

1763-514: Was a board member of the Mises Caucus . McArdle has worked as a paralegal and legal aide for over eleven years. She currently works in litigation and also has a private practice where she provides self help legal services to low income clients. The bulk of McArdle's practices focus on real estate and constitutional law. McArdle received her Bachelor's Degree in Organizational Leadership from Biola University in 2009 and

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1806-436: Was not in conflict with the LNC, only the Colorado affiliate, and as such the executive committee had no means to remove her and as such no motion to remove was put forward. On July 31 Harlos' appeal to the judicial committee took place reviewing if McArdle violated the aforementioned by-laws. During which committee chairman, Blay Tarnoff , ruled that article 2 was "a preparation, not a strict bylaw", however, also stated that

1849-444: Was to "takeover" the Libertarian Party and realign it closer to Ron Paul's presidential campaigns and the Mises Institute . The caucus has accused many in the party outside their caucus of supporting political correctness and " wokeism " and being " SJW friendly". Angela McArdle, a board member of the Mises Caucus, said in 2021 that the party should be ideologically closer to Ron Paul than Gary Johnson, and that Johnson didn't "put

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