Michael Emerling-Cloud

Emerling's financial habits caused problems both within his marriage, which ended in 1990, and for the LP, though this never became known at the time. 

Emerling-Cloud first made him self known in the Libertarian Party through a speech, which was then turned into a book, titled, "Essence of Political Persuasion." Trainings followed, beginning around 1976.  

Emerling-Cloud was also responsible for first committing the The Late Great Libertarian Macho Flash and then telling Libertarians this was not an efficacious way to persuade people to the ideas of Libertarianism.  

Nothing about Michael spoke of a person who was ethical, only one out to take advantage of others in any way possible.   

 

Over the years, Emerling-Cloud had borrowed money from friends and supporters. He declared bankruptcy, including in this a debt to a woman who had loaned him her life savings believing that they were about to start their lives together.   She was at the time Treasurer for the Libertarian Party of California.  Her name was Michelle Kurtz.  Michelle died several years after this betrayal by Emerling.

Michelle had called to tell me she had found her 'true love', excitedly adding Michael Emerling was desperately in love with her.  I blanched, and begged her not to trust him.  Struck with a sense of foreboding I blurted out, "you haven't promised to give him money, have you?"

Michelle happily said, "Yes!  I was so glad to be able to help Michael finish with the expenses for publishing his book.  I know it will be a best seller.  And then we will be married."

Michelle Kurtz was not a stupid woman at all.  And generally I thought her judgement was good.  She was an accountant; diligent, careful, and hard working.  I felt like crying from frustration.  Why hadn't she told me before, I asked?  

Michelle said Michael had told her not to tell so it could be a big surprise when she returned from Las Vegas.  I already knew Emerling was going to be attending the NatCom Meeting in Las Vegas.

"Can you stop payment on the check?"  I blurted out. "No! Michael has been misunderstood all of his life and he said my trust in him was wonderful."   I was sure Michael was just delighted.

I wished her luck - but I knew what was about to take place and I know I was right because Michelle called me as soon as she returned to Los Angeles.  Michelle had broken up with her husband not long before and to save money was staying with a friend and crashing on her couch.  

The first few minutes on the phone she just cried.  I knew it was her because it had to be.  I was expecting this.   I tried to make comforting noises but it did not help.  Eventually, I just let her cry until she was finally emitting only tiny sobs.  

Then, I had to listen because she needed desperately to talk to someone about the hideousness of the experience. It was hideous, maybe even worse than I thought it would be.  Michelle was not the first woman I had warned about Emerling.  

Since they are still living I will leave it there.  

When Marrou began his campaign for vice-president he was called and warned by Ed Clark that having Emerling-Cloud as his campaign manager was a mistake. 

Clark was clear about the personal habits and questionable ethics Emerling-Cloud had demonstrated over the years. Marrou chose to ignore this advice – but since Andre Marrou was about as honest and trust-worthy as Michael this was probably a waste of time.  

 

The irregularities in accounting for funds began immediately along with slip shod campaign scheduling. According to Emerling's then wife, Vickie Emerling, Michael's attempts to cut corners on their IRS return in 1987 caused them to be confronted with an obligation and penalties of around $40,000.00. Michael negotiated this down to $15,000.00 of which he forced Vickie to pay $500.00. The rest most likely was taken from the money then coming in as funds raised for the campaign because while no money went out of their joint income when Vickie asked she was told that the obligation had been handled. 

 

The campaign was run out of a house in Las Vegas and later moved to Marrou's own home. During the campaign period Marrou fired Emerling-Cloud. Andre said this was because Emerling-Cloud insisted on putting out fundraising letters that made promises of which he, the candidate, was unaware. 

 

Money from the campaign was routinely used for personal purposes by both Marrou and Emerling-Cloud, according to their wives. The Marrou Campaign became the means for Emerling-Cloud to relaunch himself into a career his own behavior had destroyed. His campaign to remove Marrou from the ticket caused some in the LP to characterize him as, “an enemy of freedom.” 

But with the facility of the cat with nine lives Emerling would be back. For Marrou the ride ended with election day, 1992. 

Michael's personal life also included conspiring to deny me a fair marital share from my marriage to Craig Franklin, who included Emerling-Cloud in the conference calls held to strategize on how to ensure I died from an inherited heart condition during the divorce.  I found this out from my psychopathic daughter, Morgan, who was also in on the conspiracy. 

I discovered Craig and Dan O'Dowd called their agreement to cheat, and hopefully kill me, the "Throw Mama From The Train" Strategy.

The document below refers to a filing for bankruptcy by Morgan Pillsbury in which she provides information to the court about Craig and the conspiracy mentioned above.  The rest of the documents are available on the Morgan Pillsbury Gell website.  

From:  Morgan Pillsbury Gell

On May 23, 2001 Craig filed a COMPLAINT to stop her from clearing the issue of the coerced promissory note.  In the motion he mentions more money he gave Morgan.  Since we know from Anne Fisher  Craig routinely hands over about $5,000 a month to multiple women who he wants to be available to him sexually this was not a large amount to him.   

Morgan believed the money was payment for the assistance she was giving Craig to defraud Melinda and also kill her.  

Craig never gives away money without expecting to get something of value to him but in Morgan's case he wanted both sex and services for destroying Melinda and securing all of the marital assets was of enormous value to him so it seems petty that he would also insist on getting sex.  But Craig is a psychopath and so this was a natural move for him.  

Morgan was part of the conspiracy which Morgan admits to in the response below.   This is an example of what happens when psychopaths collide instead of cooperating. 
 

On August 27, 2001 Morgan responded to a RESPONSE filed by Franklin to stop her from declaring bankruptcy on the promissory note she had signed under duress.

This document is well worth reading for the shock value.  The document names Dan O'Dowd, Michael (Emerling) Cloud as co-conspirators with Craig.  The document was produced by We The People, a legal service in Santa Barbara at the time, using statements from Morgan.  The document is signed by Morgan, the Debtor and Defendant.  





From:  Independent Political Report

Libertarian Party: More Questions Surface About Michael Cloud’s Payment As Vendor 

This was posted by Starchild as a comment to an IPR thread re: the Updates on Libertarian National Committee, Bylaws and Platform Committee, Budget and Audit

For background, please see here .

December 6, 2013 at 12:11 am

As I would expect is normal for an organization with a number of full time employees, a large portion of the matters we deal with on an ongoing basis in our operations concern staff in one manner or another.

There are concerns that we shouldn’t discuss certain personnel matters publicly lest we expose ourselves to legal liability, and while given the out-of-control legal system in this society I believe these concerns sadly have merit in certain specific situations, it is clearly unrealistic and detrimental to the interests of our party for everything that relates to staff to be kept secret.

I have attempted to get advice from our general counsel and input from other LNC members about which specific types of information regarding staff need to be kept secret, but no one who knows or claims to know has volunteered this information to me. MORE

 More covert ugliness by Emerling-Cloud 

From:  Last Free Voice

Dr. George Phillies: “Arizona, Land of the Two Libertarian Parties”, Part Two

 In Libertarian on June 2, 2008 at 9:37 pm

 

I am honored to have been given permission by Dr. George Phillies to post a full chapter from his excellent book, “Funding Liberty” , right here on Last Free Voice. I will be posting Chapter 17, “Arizona, Land of the Two Libertarian Parties”, in multiple entries. This is part two.  Part one is here.

Dr. Phillies has a doctorate in Physics from MIT, and is a Professor of Physics and Game Design at the prestigious Worcester Polytechnic University. A longtime Libertarian activist, Dr. Phillies is currently the Chairman of the Massachusetts Libertarian Party, and was a popular candidate for the Libertarian Presidential nomination for 2008 where his concession speech – pointing out that the enemy is outside the Libertarian Party – has been hailed as one of the greatest moments (and most inspiring speeches) of the 2008 Libertarian Convention.
A link to purchase this book, as well as to purchase other books by Dr. George Phillies, is at the bottom of this entry.
_______________________________________

Historical Notes on Arizona Libertarianism

The Libertarian Party of Arizona was founded in 1975, and put its first candidates on the ballot in 1976. One of these was Michael Emerling (Cloud), who ran for U.S. Congress in Tucson and received 2.4% of the vote. The Party progressed and grew. Its 1989 State Chair was Peter Schmerl, who was a Pima County activist. By 1990, one can identify early strains of the disputes between the Party’s two factions. An article written by Michael Cloud and distributed by the Marrou campaign explained why Party candidates should take matching funds if available. Other Libertarians have expressed the contrary view. The issue refers back to the Non-Initiation of Force statement, which will be discussed in this Chapter’s Appendix.

The Arizona Party continued to grow. Cloud moved to work for the Marrou for President (Libertarian, 1992) campaign. On September 1, 1991, Cloud appeared in Chicago before the Libertarian National Committee, reiterating the campaign’s desire to work closely with the National Party. In particular, addressing the LNC he indicated that ‘the campaign’s books are open for our (the LNC’s) inspection at any time’ and ‘all new names obtained during the campaign would be considered the co-property of the LNC and would be turned over to both the national and state parties’. In 1992, Cloud and the Marrou campaign went their separate ways.

By 1996 the Presidential Campaign which Cloud had for a time directed was associated took a different stand. The 2300+ names and addresses of Browne donors cost the Libertarian National Committee more than $58,000 dollars to acquire.

In 1994, Arizona Libertarian John Buttrick ran for State Governor. He was later a Libertarian National Committee member and in 2001 was appointed as a judge by sitting Republican Governor Jane Hull. The Phoenix Party by this date was vigorous and active. It opened its own office, and covered expenses in part by raffling off a series of assault rifles and other weapons. The choice of raffle items gained significant public attention. The first conflict between the Phoenix and Tucson disputes reportedly happened in late 1994, with a dispute over ownership of a bank account held in the name of the Arizona Libertarian Party. The money eventually returned to the Phoenix group. MORE

 
For Emerling-Cloud the ride continues.  

Find out about Michael's best friend, Craig Franklin, a sexual pervert whose goal is incest with little girls related to him.