Libertarian Party of Minnesota

🚨 The Libertarian Party of Minnesota Q2 2026 Newsletter is out! Catch up on everything happening with LPMN: 🇺🇸 From the Chair: Rebecca Whiting on petitioning successes and fighting the rigged system. 🇺🇸 Executive Committee Updates: Membership growth, new Communications Director (ME!), convention delegation, and more. 🇺🇸Breaking News: Fun Libertarian socializing at the Wabasha Street Caves tour. 🇺🇸 Ballot Access Wins: Huge thanks to volunteers — Rebecca Whiting (US Senate) and Chip Tangen (Secretary of State) are on the ballot! 🇺🇸 Community Action: CD2’s 5th Annual Spring Highway Cleanup 🇺🇸Outreach: LPMN at Grand Old Day with great conversations and donations. 🇺🇸 Spotlight: Chip Tangen on WCCO discussing ballot access reform. 🇺🇸 Upcoming Events: State Fair committee meetings, CD4 & CD2 meetups, and more! Stay connected and involved in the fight for liberty in Minnesota! 🤓Read the full newsletter here: blog.lpmn.org/hubfs/Newslett… 🔗 Come check out LPMN content: linktr.ee/LPMinnesota #Minnesota #MNLibertarian #LibertyMN #MNPoli #TwinCities #RochesterMN #DuluthMN #Mankato #StCloudMN #LibertarianParty #MNCD2

🎤 “Our common enemy is the war machine and a drive to make it stop. A dream of peace in our time.” Rebecca Whiting opened her Memorial Day speech at the Libertarian National Convention with that line and what followed was one of the most raw, powerful anti-war talks I’ve heard from a veteran. She stood there as a combat medic who served in Ramadi, a homesteading homeschooling mom from northern Minnesota and told the truth about what endless war actually costs. Rebecca didn’t just talk theory. She shared what she lived. Deployed in 2004 with the 2nd Infantry Division, she treated soldiers when IEDs hit their convoy. She held Specialist Watson as he screamed in pain with both legs shattered and burned. She watched PFC Barbarett burn alive on the road for seven minutes because no one could reach him. She lost friends… including a sniper killing her buddy Specialist Beard the same day. These aren’t statistics. They’re names. And she carried them home. Later she asked the hardest question: Why were we really there? She realized the oath she swore to defend the Constitution was being used as a weapon to keep unconstitutional wars going. The military-industrial complex grew richer while families buried their kids and veterans came home broken… or… didn’t come home at all. Her husband was in the same deployment. He saw a car full of children shot up after their convoy hit a IED because people were terrified and reacting. Four kids. A father dead in the front seat. “Why?” a bystander asked while holding the bodies. That question haunts every veteran of these wars, she said. Rebecca didn’t stay silent. She joined the Libertarian Party of Minnesota to fight the two-party system that keeps feeding the war machine. She ran for U.S. Senate in 2024 and got 55,000 votes on a $2,500 budget… proving people are hungry for a real alternative. She’s pushing “Defend the Guard” style legislation so the National Guard can only be used in wars actually declared by Congress, not forever wars for corporate profit. As a mom of a large family she’s clear: the next generation deserves peace, not more endless conflict. Her closing challenge still echoes: “When the war comes to our shores — and eventually it will — the only thing that will matter is who is standing on the left and right of you. So right now… who is your front line? We are.” She’s asking all of us the same thing she asked that room: Now that you know the “why,” what are you going to do about it? If Rebecca Whiting’s story and call for peace moved you, share this thread. The Libertarian Party of Minnesota is done playing war games with other people’s children. We’re building the front line for peace, liberty, and accountability. Watch her full speech and decide for yourself: youtube.com/watch?v=oPkGUP… 🔗 Support Rebecca Whiting for U.S. Senate: whiting4senate.us 🔗Come check out LPMN content: linktr.ee/LPMinnesota #RebeccaWhiting #LPMinnesota #LibertarianNationalConvention #EndTheWars #Peace #VeteransForPeace #DefendTheGuard #Minnesota

Minnesota carries $8.55 billion in state debt right now! Even while the latest forecast shows a $3.7 billion projected surplus for the 2026-27 biennium. That debt didn’t appear overnight. It’s the result of years of spending growth outpacing revenue and a consistent lack of real oversight. A temporary surplus doesn’t fix the underlying problem! Real audits would shine a light on waste, expose inefficiencies, and force government to prioritize taxpayers over bureaucracy. TJ Hawthorne is running for House 44B to bring that accountability to St. Paul. If we don’t demand transparency and fiscal discipline now, future generations will be left paying the bill for today’s decisions. 🔗X: @TJ_Hawthorne44B 🔗 Support TJ Hawthorne for Minnesota House 44B: tjformn44b.com 🔗 Come check out LPMN content: linktr.ee/LPMinnesota #MNHouse44B #FiscalResponsibility #AuditTheGovernment #LPMN #TaxpayersFirst

Chip Tangen is running to modernize business services for all Minnesotans and make government interactions smoother and more efficient. His vision includes restoring trust in elections while expanding access, and opening up ballot access so more independent and minor-party voices can be heard. What could this look like in practice? ✅ Faster online business registrations and filings: less paperwork, quicker approvals for entrepreneurs starting or growing companies in Minnesota. ✅ Expanded digital tools for public records and voter services secure, convenient access that respects both privacy and integrity. ✅ Real reforms to reduce barriers for independent candidates – giving voters more choices beyond the two major parties. These changes cut red tape, save time and resources, and keep government focused on serving people rather than growing itself. This is practical, freedom-focused leadership Minnesota needs! 🔗 X: @ChipforSOS 🔗 Support Chip: chipforsos.com 🔗 Come check out LPMN content: linktr.ee/LPMinnesota #ChipTangen #LPMN #MNPolitics #ModernizeMN #BusinessServices #ElectionIntegrity #BallotAccessReform #CutRedTape #LibertarianParty

🚨 Adam Schwarze’s own words in this interview reveal the hypocrisy Minnesota voters can no longer ignore. In the recorded conversation highlighted by TC of MBRR Media, a researcher asked direct questions about clear inconsistencies! Including why Schwarze appeared linked to the “Defending Freedom and Democracy” organization in multiple places while claiming on the call that he “never started any organization.” He also stated he is “tired of seeing American troops die to defend and fight wars for other countries.” Yet the breakdown shows how quickly that position shifts when it comes to continued U.S. entanglement in foreign conflicts. This is the establishment candidate now endorsed by the Minnesota GOP for U.S. Senate. 🫡Rebecca Whiting offers something different! As the Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate, Rebecca’s positions are consistent and rooted in principle: she stands firmly for ending endless foreign wars, dramatically reducing the size and scope of the federal government, protecting individual liberties, and rejecting the political monopoly that keeps the same failed policies in place no matter which major party holds power. She’s a Christian wife and mom building a life on a Bemidji farm, someone who actually lives the values of self-reliance and freedom she campaigns on. Unlike the defensive and evasive answers in that interview, Rebecca has nothing to hide. She is more than happy to debate the issues! ANY TIME, ANY PLACE. Transparency, honest conversation, and real accountability are exactly what Minnesota deserves from its leaders. If you’re ready for a candidate who doesn’t flip-flop on war, government overreach, or basic honesty, Rebecca Whiting is the clear choice. Watch the full breakdown for yourself: youtube.com/live/IHqV3Ho47… 🔗 Support Rebecca Whiting for U.S. Senate: whiting4senate.us 🔗 Come check out LPMN content: linktr.ee/LPMinnesota #RebeccaWhiting #EndTheWars #DefundTheGovernment #DebateTheIssues #SchwarzeExposed #USSenate #MinnesotaSenate #LPMN #LibertarianParty #VoteLiberty #MinnesotaPolitics #DebateRebecca #AdamSchwrze #WarhawkAdam

Rebecca Whiting an army combat medic who served two tours in Iraq, serving both in Ramadi during the battle for Fallujah and Baghdad during the Surge. She saw the body bags, the skyrocketing veteran suicides, burn-pit cancers hitting families (including her own husband), and a VA system that treats veterans like an afterthought. The political establishment, Republicans and Democrats alike, have sent troops into endless wars while ignoring the broken promises at home! Adam Schwarze, the GOP’s endorsed candidate and fellow Iraq veteran, is part of that corny system. Rebecca is directly calling out Adam Schwarze on the failures he and the establishment refuse to fix: • Why we keep pouring lives and treasure into foreign wars while veterans die waiting for care • Why the VA remains a bureaucratic nightmare decades after the promises where made • Why government spending, overreach, and donor-class priorities keep crushing Minnesota families • Why real accountability never happens in Washington No more soundbites. No more dodging. Debate the record. Debate the solutions. Minnesotans deserve answers! Not another warhawk politician protecting the status quo. 🔗 Support Rebecca Whiting for U.S. Senate: whiting4senate.us 🔗 Come check out LPMN content: linktr.ee/LPMinnesota #MNPolitics #USSenate #Libertarian #Minnesota #Veterans #EndTheWars #LPMN #VoteLiberty #Accountability #NoMoreExcuses #DebateRebecca #AdamSchwrze #WarhawkAdam

🚨 FLOCK cameras are expanding across Minnesota! Recent incidents prove they can lead to errors that put innocent people in tense situations with police. This is the surveillance state in action, scanning plates and eroding privacy. Everyday life in Minnesota shouldn't feel like Minority Report, where you're treated like a suspect before you've done anything wrong! TJ Hawthorne believes real public safety comes from practical, community-focused approaches that protect individual rights while strengthening our neighborhoods… not more top-down mandates or government expansion that treats everyone like a suspect. He stands for focusing on real harm (violence, theft, fraud) and safeguarding your freedom and privacy from overreach. If you want a representative in House 44B who will push back against the surveillance state and prioritize your rights, TJ Hawthorne is the clear choice! Support TJ Hawthorne for Minnesota House 44B! 🔗X: @TJ_Hawthorne44B 🔗 Support TJ Hawthorne for Minnesota House 44B: tjformn44b.com 🔗 Come check out LPMN content: linktr.ee/LPMinnesota #FLOCK #PrivacyRights #SurveillanceState #ProtectOurFreedoms #MN44B #IndependentMN #MinnesotaPolitics

👀THE FLOCK CAMERA INVASION OF MINNESOTA: False Alarms in Plymouth Expose the Dangers of Mass Surveillance👀 Just days ago in Plymouth, Minnesota, an innocent man doing his job was swarmed by police cars with lights and sirens in a Kohl's parking lot, all triggered by a Flock camera error that wrongly flagged his vehicle as stolen. This real life nightmare, reported July 2026, is the latest example of how the rapid expansion of AI powered license plate reader (LPR) cameras is turning Minnesota into a surveillance state. Similar scandals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, show how these systems are ripe for abuse by those in power. 👀 Update: What Happened in Plymouth & Why It Matters Automotive journalist Joel Feder was test driving a Range Rover with New Jersey dealer plates when Flock cameras, used by Plymouth Police, pinged a PARTIAL match to a stolen plate reported in California. The system had been tracking him for days. On June 28, 2026, officers boxed in his vehicle with four squad cars. Feder described the terrifying moment: "I see two cop cars lit up with sirens blasting... all of a sudden I see two more cop cars coming from my driver's side. So now I'm boxed and pinned in and I got four cop cars, lights going." Officers had hands on holsters; it took verification and a call to Jaguar Land Rover to resolve the database error. "We've got a confluence of issues of human error, it happens, humans make errors, it got amplified by a nationwide surveillance system." Joel Feder, The Drive Flock Safety itself admitted alerts 'should be one part of an investigation, not the whole basis for a stop.' The ACLU of Minnesota highlighted the broader risk of warrantless tracking enabled by these networks. 👀Milwaukee's Flock Abuse Scandal: Proof of the Danger In Milwaukee, not one but two police officers have faced criminal charges for misusing the Flock system for personal vendettas. A detective was charged after using the cameras nearly 200 times to track a romantic interest and her ex. A second detective, investigating the first case, was himself charged with felony misconduct in public office for excessive personal searches on the database. These aren't hypothetical risks… they are happening right now in our region. This is the surveillance state in action: errors that terrorize innocents + power that corrupts those entrusted with it. Libertarians have long warned that mass data collection without strict limits violates the 4th Amendment and erodes the presumption of innocence. 👀MEET MINNESOTA'S ANTI-SURVEILLANCE CHAMPIONS The Libertarian Party of Minnesota is proud to stand with candidates who refuse to trade your privacy for false promises of 'safety.' 👀 REBECCA WHITING — U.S. Senate Candidate Rebecca Whiting is running to represent Minnesota in the U.S. Senate as a fierce defender of individual liberty and constitutional limits on government power. She understands that federal surveillance programs and partnerships that enable local dragnet tracking threaten every Minnesotan's right to privacy. Whiting stands against the normalization of constant monitoring and will fight to rein in agencies that collect and share our data without warrants or accountability. If elected to the U.S. Senate, Rebecca Whiting can: Introduce and champion federal legislation requiring warrants for access to historical license plate reader data, strict retention limits (days or weeks, not years), and bans on warrantless sharing with federal agencies or out of state entities. She can use Senate oversight powers to investigate surveillance tech programs, expose misuse, and hold agencies accountable. Rebecca can also fight to cut off federal grants that subsidize the expansion of Flock-style systems in local communities without robust privacy protections, defending the 4th Amendment in the digital age. She can push to remove liability shields (including qualified immunity reforms) so ordinary citizens can take government actors and surveillance contractors to court when their rights are violated, turning cases like the Plymouth false-alarm armed stop into real accountability. 👀TJ HAWTHORNE — Minnesota House District 44B TJ Hawthorne is a Navy veteran, engineer, father, and independent candidate for State Representative in District 44B. He is running to end the two-party duopoly and bring real accountability to St. Paul. Hawthorne opposes the expansion of surveillance technology in our communities and stands firmly for the principle that government should protect, not spy on, its citizens. He brings a fresh, liberty focused voice to the fight against the Flock invasion and police state creep at the state level. If elected to the Minnesota House in District 44B, TJ Hawthorne can: Author and push state legislation regulating automated license plate readers statewide; requiring warrants for historical data access, short retention periods, mandatory audits and error reporting, and bans on data sharing with federal agencies (including ICE) without court order. He can work directly with east metro cities and counties to cancel or heavily restrict Flock contracts, following Columbia Heights’ successful example. TJ can also demand legislative hearings and investigations into incidents like the Plymouth false alarm and Milwaukee abuses to build momentum for real reform and strengthen Minnesota’s data privacy protections. He can champion removing liability shields and ending qualified immunity so citizens harmed by surveillance errors or abuse can fight back effectively in Minnesota courts. These candidates aren't just talking about privacy they are the principled alternative to the surveillance status quo. 👀WHAT YOU CAN DO TO FIGHT BACK The good news? Communities are already pushing back. Columbia Heights recently voted to remove all Flock cameras after resident outcry. You can help stop the invasion in your city and across Minnesota. Immediate Action Steps: 1. Contact Your Local Officials TODAY: Call or email your city council members and police chief. Ask: 'Does our department use Flock or other LPR cameras? How much data is stored and shared? Demand a public hearing and vote to cancel any contracts.' Reference the Plymouth false-alarm incident and Milwaukee abuses. Show up and speak at city council meetings when surveillance contracts are discussed. 2. Demand Real Safeguards at the State Level: Urge your state legislators to pass strong reforms: warrants required for historical LPR data, short retention periods (7–30 days), bans on sharing with federal/ICE agencies without a court order, mandatory error reporting, and annual public audits. Reference HF4205 and ask them to strengthen and pass it. 3. Educate & Activate Your Community: Share this article, the Plymouth bodycam footage, and Milwaukee news stories on social media, neighborhood groups, and at community events. Most people have no idea how invasive these systems are until it affects them or someone they know. Host or attend a short info session with friends. 4. Attend Public Meetings & Push Transparency: Show up at city council, county board, and police oversight meetings. Ask for full disclosure of any LPR contracts, data sharing agreements, and usage statistics. Demand the same accountability we expect from every other government program. 5. Vote for & Support the Champions: Elect candidates who will actually defend your rights. Support Rebecca Whiting and TJ Hawthorne: vote for them, volunteer, and contribute directly through their campaign websites. They are the anti-surveillance champions Minnesota needs right now. 6. Join & Amplify LPMN: Become a member, volunteer, or donate at lpmn.org. Follow our updates on Facebook, X, and Linktree. Help spread the message that privacy is a cornerstone of freedom and that the surveillance state can be stopped when citizens organize. 👀SUPPORT THE CHAMPIONS & TAKE BACK YOUR PRIVACY Support TJ Hawthorne for Minnesota House 44B! | tjformn44b.com Support Rebecca Whiting for U.S. Senate! | whiting4senate.us Come check out LPMN content: linktr.ee/LPMinnesota 👀Sources • The Drive – “How Flock Cameras Wrongly Tracked Me for Days Over ‘Stolen’ Plates…” by Joel Feder (July 2026) thedrive.com/.../how-flock-…... • FOX 9 Minneapolis – “Flock camera error leads to tense police encounter in Plymouth” (July 2026) fox9.com/.../minnesota-… • Wisconsin Public Radio & FOX6 Milwaukee – Coverage of Milwaukee PD Flock misuse criminal charges (2026) wpr.org and fox6now.com • ACLU of Minnesota – Statements and advocacy on ALPR/Flock camera privacy risks in Minnesota aclu-mn.org • City of Columbia Heights – Decision to remove Flock cameras due to privacy concerns (2026) 👀Helpful Resources • ACLU of Minnesota – Local advocacy and resources on surveillance, ALPRs/Flock cameras, and privacy rights in Minnesota: aclu-mn.org • DeFlock – Crowdsourced map of ALPR / Flock cameras across the U.S. (very useful locally): deflock.org and interactive map at maps.deflock.org • Support TJ Hawthorne for House 44B: tjformn44b.com • Support Rebecca Whiting for U.S. Senate: whiting4senate.us • Support Chip Tangen for Secretary of State: chipforsos.com • Libertarian Party of Minnesota: lpmn.org | linktr.ee/LPMinnesota • Contact your Minnesota legislators: leg.mn 👀The Flock camera invasion is not inevitable. With your voice and your vote, we can stop the surveillance creep, hold power accountable, and protect the liberty that makes Minnesota worth fighting for! #MNPoli #Minnesota #PrivacyMatters #FlockCameras #StopFlock #SurveillanceState

Real trust in our elections and government isn’t built on blind faith... it’s built on transparency we can see and verify. Chip Tangen is the independent voice Minnesota needs for Secretary of State. He’ll deliver genuine openness through independent oversight and auditing, following the principle of “trust, but verify” for maximum participation AND maximum security. That means stronger election integrity, real accountability in state processes, and sunlight on how decisions are made so no one can game the system. Minnesotans deserve leaders who put people first, not party insiders! Chip Tangen for Secretary of State: Transparency & Accountability • Independent Oversight & Auditing • Trust But Verify • Election Integrity for All 🔗 X: @ChipforSOS 🔗 Support Chip: chipforsos.com 🔗 Come check out LPMN content: linktr.ee/LPMinnesota #ChipTangen #MNSecretaryOfState #Transparency #Accountability #ElectionIntegrity #AuditMN #Minnesota

😳Minnesota voters are tired of politicians who say one thing on the campaign trail and another once the cameras are rolling. Rebecca Whiting has been rock solid from day one. As a combat medic who served in Iraq, she saw the human cost of endless wars up close. She has consistently opposed foreign intervention, nation-building, and dragging Minnesota families into conflicts that have nothing to do with defending our shores. For Rebecca, this isn’t a talking point… it’s a principle forged in service. 😳 Adam Schwarze, the Republican endorsed candidate, has taken a different approach. After building momentum as a veteran voice, he shifted toward a more hawkish foreign policy stance as soon as tensions with Iran escalated. That kind of flip-flop is exactly why so many Minnesotans have lost faith in the two party system. Rebecca Whiting is still waiting for Adam Schwarze to accept her debate challenge! Any platform, any moderator of his choosing. No more dodging. Let’s have an honest conversation about war and peace, spending, and what real leadership looks like. 🫡 If you want a U.S. Senator who won’t change her principles to fit the political moment, Rebecca Whiting is the clear choice. 🔗 Support Rebecca Whiting for U.S. Senate: whiting4senate.us 🔗 Come check out LPMN content: linktr.ee/LPMinnesota #MNPolitics #USSenate #RebeccaWhiting #Libertarian #EndForeverWars #MN2026 #DebateRebecca #VoteLiberty

This is a textbook example of why libertarian foreign policy is essential: endless wars and market interventions drain our strategic reserves, endanger energy security, and put Americans at risk! All while hiding the true costs from taxpayers! Time to end the blank checks for foreign entanglements and let free markets, not government stockpiles used as political tools, secure our energy future.

Hey CD2 friends! Looking for a relaxed evening with good food, drinks, and great conversation? Come join us this Thursday for the CD2 Live Free July Meetup! We’ll be hanging out at Fireside Restaurant & Bar in Rosemount for a casual liberty chat, no speeches, no pressure, just friendly folks connecting over the issues that matter most. Whether you’ve been involved with LPMN for years or you’re just curious about liberty minded ideas, everyone is welcome. Bring a friend, grab a bite, and enjoy some easygoing conversation in a super laid-back setting. It’s the perfect way to meet your local CD2 libertarian community! 📍 Fireside Restaurant & Bar 3410 150th St W, Rosemount, MN 55068 🗓️ Thursday, July 9, 2026 🕕 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM Just show up — no RSVP required! 🔗 Event details: lpmn.org/events/2108/ 🔗 Come check out LPMN content: linktr.ee/LPMinnesota #MNCD2 #LibertyMN #LibertarianParty #MNPoli #Minnesota

Property rights are the foundation of true liberty and right now, they're facing serious threats from government overreach! Excessive regulations, red tape, and bureaucratic interference make it harder for families in District 44B to own homes, build businesses, and pass on wealth to the next generation. TJ Hawthorne is committed to fighting back. As a Navy veteran and engineer, he knows we need practical solutions: cut the mandates, reduce the barriers, and let people keep more of what they earn and own. Whether it's in Oakdale, North St. Paul, Maplewood, or across our communities, TJ stands for protecting your property rights so you can thrive without government getting in the way. Let's defend liberty where it starts, at home and on your land! Support TJ Hawthorne for Minnesota House 44B! 🔗X: @TJ_Hawthorne44B 🔗 Support TJ Hawthorne for Minnesota House 44B: tjformn44b.com 🔗 Come check out LPMN content: linktr.ee/LPMinnesota #PropertyRights #CutTheRedTape #ProtectYourProperty #MN44B #OakdaleMN #NorthStPaulMN #IndependentMN

After spending time close to Adam Schwarze, so much so that he courted her to work on his campaign, Rebecca lays out her unbreakable anti-war principles from her time as a combat medic in Iraq: "I just can't betray the sacrifice of the people that I saw die... if I ever compromise on this just assume that it is not me..." While Rebecca has stayed consistent, Adam Schwarze flipped to a warhawkish stance the moment the Iran war started. Rebecca Whiting is calling out Adam Schwarze to debate her on ANY platform, with a mediator of his choice. Stop dodging the issues, Adam. Pick the platform and moderator! Tag @AdamSchwarze on any share so he sees this directly and can’t hide from the people. Minnesota voters deserve real answers, not convenient shifts in principle. #MNPolitics #USSenate #DebateRebecca #CallHimOut #RebeccaWhiting #Libertarian #EndForeverWars 🔗 Support Rebecca Whiting for U.S. Senate: whiting4senate.us 🔗 Come check out LPMN content: linktr.ee/LPMinnesota

Chip Tangen is serious about protecting Minnesotans’ personal data in government systems! Right now, candidate nominating petitions are mostly paper. That means signers names, addresses, and other personal details get handled, copied, and stored in ways that aren’t always secure or private. Chip testified in favor of moving to a secure online petition system because it would be: ✅ More secure (less risk of data exposure or mishandling) ✅ More efficient (faster verification, fewer errors) ✅ ADA-friendly (accessible to more voters) ✅ Better for privacy As Secretary of State, Chip will push for maximum participation and real privacy protections in our elections and public records. No more treating your personal data like just another form to shuffle. 🔗X: @ChipforSOS 🔗 Support Chip: chipforsos.com 🔗 Come check out LPMN content: linktr.ee/LPMinnesota #MNPolitics #ElectionIntegrity #ProtectPrivacy #ChipTangen #Libertarian