[Vision2020] Latah GOP candidates renege on agreement to debate

[Dan Carscallen]

"Batches? We ain't got no batches. We don't need no batches. I don't
have to show you any steenking batches!" -- Alfonso Bedoya, *Treasure of
the Sierra Madre*

DC
-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com] On Behalf Of Art Deco aka W. Fox
Sent: Thursday, October 07, 2004 10:13 AM
To: Vision 2020
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Latah GOP candidates renege on agreement to
debate


All,

"The greatest, most despicable cowards are those who are afraid of
ideas."  --Colonel Alberti

Wayne

Art Deco  (Wayne Fox)
deco at moscow.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Mark Solomon 
To: vision2020 at moscow.com 
Sent: Thursday, October 07, 2004 9:12 AM
Subject: [Vision2020] Latah GOP candidates renege on agreement to debate


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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