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The contentious post from the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire (NHLP) that purportedly urged violence against Vice President Kamala Harris has been publicly denounced by Chase Oliver, the Libertarian Party’s presidential nominee. The alleged text of the since-deleted post was, “Anyone who murders Kamala Harris would be an American hero.”
Oliver posted a message on X (previously Twitter) on Sunday, calling the NHLP’s statement “abhorrent”. “I wholeheartedly disagree with the LPNH comment on Kamala Harris. Oliver declared, “It is disgusting and ought never to have been posted.”
After receiving criticism, the NHLP took down the message. They gave this explanation: “We deleted a tweet because we don’t want to violate the terms of this website we agreed to.” It’s a shame that even on a ‘free speech’ website that libertarians cannot speak freely. In actuality, libertarians are the most persecuted minority.
In his statement, Oliver emphasized the Libertarian Party’s commitment to non-aggression. “As Libertarians, we condemn the use of force, whether committed by governments, individuals, or other political entities,” Oliver stated. “We are committed to peaceful dispute resolution and the non-aggression principle. We also make this commitment while applying to join the party.”
When the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire responded with a homophobic slur in a string of later posts, calling Oliver a “infiltrating leftist snake,” the issue became more heated.
The incident has sparked a broader debate about the limits of free speech within political movements and has highlighted internal tensions within the Libertarian Party. The controversy underscores the ongoing challenges that political parties face in managing online rhetoric and maintaining their core principles while navigating public scrutiny.