[Vision2020] MCA Debates

[Bill London]

Jeff Harkins:
    Please control that righteous indignation.  You are aiming it in the wrong direction.
    Let's go back to the original point in Lois Blackburn's editorial.
    The local Republican Party has no problem with a candidate forum organized by a Republican candidate (that's you) or a forum organized by a Republican office-holder (that's Paul Kimmell, Republican Commissioner and director of Chamber of Commerce) but believe participating in a forum organized by a local progressive community group (MCA) is signing a pact with the devil.
    To try and find a legitimate difference, you explain your role in the Moscow Lion's Club forum.  You say that your role was:
  (1) to select two dates for the forum, 
  (2) compose an email inviting local candidates to the forum, 
  (3) notified club members of the dates,  
  (4) send a reminder to candidates of the forum. 
    Well that makes sense.  Yes, that would be the responsibility of someone organizing a candidate forum.  And that is exactly what Bruce Livingston, the MCA representative, did.  Both you and Bruce set up the forum.  You both invited the same candidates.  You both publicized the event.  Neither you nor Bruce expected to serve as moderator (I do not know who will moderate the Lions Club forum, but the MCA moderator was selected from a list offered by Nathan Alford of neutral non-partisan community members.)  
    So why would you wrap yourself in such at tizzy of false integrity and refuse to participate in the MCA debate?
    What are you Republicans so afraid of?  Why are you so willing to go to candidate forums all over the county and then refuse to go to this one-on-one candidate debate in Moscow?
     BL
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jeff Harkins 
  To: vision2020 at moscow.com 
  Cc: Mark Boehne President Moscow Lions Club 
  Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 11:37 PM
  Subject: [Vision2020] MCA Debates


  Many have inquired about the reasons that some candidates are not participating in the MCA debate.  I have decided not to participate in the Monday evening debate.  And I agree that you are entitled to have an explanation of my decision.

  For some time, I have been intrigued by the MCA.  It set a bold agenda for itself and I was impressed by that.  But organizations are defined not only by their missions, goals and objectives, but also by the deeds of their members.

  First, I had hoped that a reasonable compromise would be reached with MCA that would address the concerns raised about the original format, but unfortunately that has not occurred. And then today, Ms. Blackburn, President of MCA in her published editorial (Daily News) made it very clear as to the kind of shenanigans and pressures being applied to force candidates to participate in an event that had questionable protocols which could be unfair to the participating candidates.

  Ms. Blackburn noted: 
    For an example of possible bias in the organization of a candidate forum, Schroeder need look no farther than a representative of his own party, Jeff Harkins, Republican candidate for Latah County commissioner. Harkins, as the program chairman for the Moscow Lions Club, organized the club's candidate forum this year. 
  It is true that I am a member of the Moscow Central Lions Club - and I am proud of the work that we do.  It is also true that I am the Program Chair for the fall, 2004.  But what Ms. Blackburn did not tell you is that before I accepted the Program Chair responsibilities I advised Lion President Mark Boehne that: 
    I would be willing to serve, provided that he would agree to serve as moderator for the two (2) sessions I would schedule for the local candidates.  He agreed to those terms.  So, yes indeed, I accepted the program chair assignment for the Moscow Central Lions Club.  
  And the services I provided were: 
    (1) to select two dates for the forum, 
    (2) compose an email inviting local candidates to the forum, 
    (3) notified club members of the dates,  
    (4) send a reminder to candidates of the forum. 
  It is not clear to me why Ms. Blackburn would want to try to discredit the good name of the Moscow Central Lions Club or my service to that organization. But it is a clear example of why I am choosing not to participate in the MCA forum.

  It is important for all of you to note that my specific service to Lions was clearly articulated to Mr. Bill London two weeks ago - and to Ms. Blackburn on Monday, October 18th.

  Here is what I want you folks to try to understand.  I am running for a political office that I believe demands the highest levels of integrity and principled behavior.  My interest in participating in forum events is to make myself known to folks and to answer their questions.  Obviously I am interested in having them cast votes for me.  And here is the tough part - if what you see is a candidate that will knuckle under to this kind of negative pressure in order to obtain votes, how can I possibly expect you to believe that I would not knuckle under to that kind of pressure once I am in office.  

  No, I find the statement by Ms. Blackburn to be, at best, insensitive and inadvisable and, at worst, despicable and mean-spirited.  But it remains as a clear example of why I am choosing not to participate in the MCA event.  My participation would simply signal that their behavior here was acceptable to me.  But folks, I won't sacrifice my integrity for votes - no political office is worth that to me.

  As to the concerns that some have expressed that by denying to participate, we are precluding folks from finding out how I stand on the issues.  Well to date, I have not failed to respond to any question directed to me.  If you have a question about how I stand on an issue, write me, email me or call me!

  My greatest regret is that my fellow Lions have to bear this incident.  They are the finest folks - caring and unselfish - and they don't deserve to be tarred with this brush.  And I am very embarrassed that this matter has brought them into this fray.

  I trust this clarifies my decision.




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