[Vision2020] Latah GOP candidates renege on agreement to debate

[Mark Solomon]

Lewiston Morning Tribune, 10/7/04

Latah County GOP to sit out local debates

Dean A. Ferguson

Latah County Republicans are shunning the Moscow Civic Association 
debates scheduled for later this month.

  "They are a group that has a political mission," said Barrett 
Schroeder, chairman of the Latah County Republicans.

  The county's Republican candidates have all agreed not to go to the 
debates, said Schroeder, who has been chairman for four years and is 
the son of state Sen. Gary Schroeder, R-Moscow.

  Barrett Schroeder charged the civic association with being dishonest 
about the format of the debate. He also said he feared an ambush 
because the civic association has strong ties to Mark Solomon, the 
Democratic candidate running against incumbent state Rep. Tom Trail, 
R-Moscow.

  The series of one-hour debates scheduled Oct. 25 and 27 were 
supposed to feature questions from citizens, Barrett Schroeder 
explained. However, candidates were told to write questions and have 
someone in the crowd ask them.

  Barrett Schroeder called the message "deceptive" because it hadn't 
been publicized.

  In a mass e-mail to Republican, independent and Democratic 
candidates, debate organizer Bruce Livingston said candidates could 
introduce questions through the audience.

  "I see nothing wrong in a candidate having someone submit a question 
because the candidate thinks it is an important issue that needs to 
be addressed," wrote Livingston.

  Livingston said the suggestion was solely to get as many important 
ideas into the debates as possible.

  In a letter to Lois Blackburn, president of the civic association, 
Barrett Schroeder accused the civic association of being a political 
action committee that endorses and supports candidates.

  "I've never heard of a PAC organizing a debate," wrote Schroeder.

  Livingston called the comment "completely wrong."

  "The Moscow Civic Association is not a political action committee," 
he said. "It's a 501c4 organization, and we haven't endorsed and 
don't intend to endorse any candidates that are involved in any of 
these debates."

  But Barrett Schroeder said the Republican candidates plan to attend 
more than a dozen other debates and forums. They're just not going to 
give the civic association and "Mark Solomon's friends and family" a 
shot at them so close to Election Day.

  ------

  Ferguson may be contacted at dferguson at lmtribune.com
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