<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:o =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1 =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"><HEAD><TITLE>Latah GOP candidates renege on agreement to debate</TITLE>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content=Word.Document name=ProgId>
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1458" name=GENERATOR>
<META content="Microsoft Word 10" name=Originator><LINK
href="cid:filelist.xml@01C4AC59.C3B348B0" rel=File-List><o:SmartTagType
name="time"
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType
name="City"
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType
name="date"
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType
name="PlaceType"
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType
name="PlaceName"
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType
name="place"
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:DoNotRelyOnCSS/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:SpellingState>Clean</w:SpellingState>
<w:GrammarState>Clean</w:GrammarState>
<w:DocumentKind>DocumentEmail</w:DocumentKind>
<w:EnvelopeVis/>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]>
<STYLE>st1\:* {
BEHAVIOR: url(#default#ieooui)
}
</STYLE>
<![endif]-->
<STYLE>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:swiss;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:1627421319 -2147483648 8 0 66047 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;
mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;
mso-hansi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
color:blue;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:normal;
text-decoration:none;
text-underline:none;
text-decoration:none;
text-line-through:none;}
span.GramE
{mso-style-name:"";
mso-gram-e:yes;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</STYLE>
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style>
<![endif]--></HEAD>
<BODY lang=EN-US style="tab-interval: .5in" vLink=purple link=blue
bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Janesta and Vision2020 members,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Thank you for your question, Janesta. The short
answer is that nobody had even been selected and offered as a possible
moderator/question selector at the debates.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I am the person who was setting up the debates on behalf
of the Moscow Civic Association. I was shocked to learn from a newspaper
reporter that according to a letter signed by Barrett Schroeder, Chairman of the
Latah County Republicans, almost half the candidates in the MCA debates, the
Republicans, had "decided to decline your [MCA's] invitation to
participate." Nobody contacted me to attempt to work out their
concerns before withdrawing.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I had personally discussed the debates on the telephone
with every one of the candidates. The nearly universal reaction
from the candidates, Republicans, Democrats and Independent, had been
strongly positive -- real pleasure expressed at the fact that someone was
putting together a forum in which issues could be addressed substantively at
some length, since the forum I proposed from the outset was to provide
approximately one hour per race. Most of the forums occur over a total
of an hour or two, as opposed to the five hours that MCA was offering, and
the nature of those other forums preclude extended comment from any candidate
due to time constraints.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>We are going to have a moderator who merely keeps track of
time and tells candidates that their time is up. We are also going to have
a question selector.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I think the current controversy is really about the
questions, which are to come from the audience. The questions that are to
be asked would be selected from written questions submitted by the audience and
given at the meeting to the question selector. Our intent is to have
a fair "question selector." I was in the process of trying to get a
so-called "question selector" who would be acceptable to the parties. I
had never gotten back to any of the parties with a person who would be offered
as THE "question selector." </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Jeff Harkins, a Republican candidate for Commissioner, is
the only person of all the candidates who even inquired about who would be doing
the questioning. I told Jeff that we hadn't selected or even
contacted anyone about doing the job, yet, but that one person I was
contemplating was Kenton Bird, an MCA member and the interim head of the U of
I's Journalism Dept. Jeff did not comment one way or the other on
Kenton. Jeff did suggest four other people, none of whom I knew, as
possibilities.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I contacted Kenton to inquire whether he was interested
and available, and Kenton informed me that he was willing to do the questioning
for the Monday October 25 debates (Sheriffs and County Commissioners), but that
he was unwilling to do so at the State Representative debates because he had
donated money to one or both of those Democratic candidates. Before I
could check with the Sheriff and County Commissioner candidates about whether
Kenton might be acceptable as the "question selector," and before I had even
come up with a possible "question selector" for the State Representative debates
on Wednesday October 27, I received the letter via fax from a newspaper reporter
that the Republicans were withdrawing from the debates.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I would also like to address the "spin" by Barrett
Schroeder, Chairman of the Latah County Republicans, that somehow I was
encouraging "cheating" when I suggested that it would be appropriate for a
candidate to ask a supporter to raise a question on an issue which the candidate
felt was important to have addressed. I made this comment in my
conversation with Jeff Harkins, who had expressed concern -- in response to
hearing that the questions would come from the audience -- that the Moscow Civic
Association was "Liberal." I told him first, that I disagreed with that
perception, but also that he could bring his supporters, that this was an
open meeting, and that we would love to have hundreds of people show up who were
not MCA members. The idea of these debates was to address the important
issues of substance, and if he had some questions "favorable" to his position I
thought there would be nothing wrong in having his supporters pose such a
question. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>By email to each and every candidate I wrote: "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. The more substance that we can address, the
better."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I fail to see how asking issues of substance is
"cheating," Barrett.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV></FONT><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Finally, at least one candidate, Representative
Trail, is suggesting that I changed the format to a race-by-race debate
after the candidates committed. That is emphatically NOT the
case. A survey of all the candidates will establish that I told them
in my initial conversations that the debates would be done with questions from
the audience, directed to the candidates race-by-race, and that the Sheriffs and
County Commissioner debates would be on Monday and that the State Rep races
would be on Wednesday. (I did change the date of the State Rep debates
from Tuesday to Wednesday because Rep. Trail informed me that he had a conflict
on that Tuesday with a prior scheduled Latah County Republicans Central
Committee meeting.) </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>It is possible that Representative
Trail misunderstood me and made an assumption based on past
forums. I suppose it is also possible that I omitted the race-by race
aspect of the debate in my conversation with Representative Trail, though I do
not think that is the case. The former possibility is more likely, in my
opinion, as the race-by-race format and the extended time frame
were MCA's main objectives in formulating the debates. But I did not
change the format after obtaining commitments from the candidates.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I will not call Representative Trail a liar, for it is
obvious to me that one or the other of us is mistaken. He is my
former neighbor, and he supported the MCA endorsed candidates for City Council
last year. I pounded the Chaney and Dickinson signs on his property,
moving them at his direction to a more visible location across from where the
Mountainview Park parking lot exits to the street. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>The Moscow Civic Association is not a radical fringe
group, as Representative Trail's support for the same City Council
candidates that we endorsed should show. We are an activist group of
citizens interested in promoting open government and public involvement in the
political process. The Moscow Civic Association is not endorsing any
candidate in this election. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Extended discussion of issues, substantively, is in the
interest of everyone. I am confident that a fair question selector
will be found, and I would be happy to receive suggestions of people to consider
for the job. The MCA debates will go forward with or without the
Republican candidates. It would be best for the citizens of Latah County if
the Republicans participated.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Bruce Livingston</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Moscow Civic Association</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Committe on Elections and Debates</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial> </FONT>----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=jsullivan@moscow.com href="mailto:jsullivan@moscow.com">JSullivan</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=jsullivan@moscow.com
href="mailto:jsullivan@moscow.com">JSullivan</A> ; <A title=nchaney@moscow.com
href="mailto:nchaney@moscow.com">Nancy Chaney</A> ; <A
title=msolomon@moscow.com href="mailto:msolomon@moscow.com">'Mark Solomon'</A>
; <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, October 07, 2004 12:41
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] Latah GOP
candidates renege on agreement to debate</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I don't know if that is what I meant to say, I
was just curious as to who will be the moderator of this event.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Other than the MCA debates, who are other debates
sponsored by, and where are they?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Janesta Carcich Sullivan</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Private Citizen</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=jsullivan@moscow.com
href="mailto:jsullivan@moscow.com">JSullivan</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=nchaney@moscow.com
href="mailto:nchaney@moscow.com">Nancy Chaney</A> ; <A
title=msolomon@moscow.com href="mailto:msolomon@moscow.com">'Mark
Solomon'</A> ; <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, October 07, 2004 11:26
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] Latah GOP
candidates renege on agreement to debate</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I am curious, is there a bi-partisan moderator?
Or does MCA have to have a bi-partisan one?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Janesta Carcich Sullivan</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=nchaney@moscow.com href="mailto:nchaney@moscow.com">Nancy
Chaney</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=msolomon@moscow.com
href="mailto:msolomon@moscow.com">'Mark Solomon'</A> ; <A
title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, October 07, 2004
10:38 AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: [Vision2020] Latah GOP
candidates renege on agreement to debate</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><st1:date Year="2004" Day="7" Month="10"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Oct. 7,
2004</SPAN></FONT></st1:date><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Open letter to
Candidates:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">This morning on Vision 2020, I read Dean
Ferguson’s article from the Lewiston Tribune indicating that, “<FONT
color=black><SPAN style="COLOR: black">Latah County Republicans are
shunning the Moscow Civic Association debates scheduled for later this
month.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black">As a local elected official, member
of MCA, and resident of </SPAN></FONT><st1:City><st1:place><FONT
color=black><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">Moscow</SPAN></FONT></st1:place></st1:City><FONT
color=black><SPAN style="COLOR: black">, I urge them to reconsider. MCA
exists in large part to “broaden public discourse” and to organize and
inspire “civic participation.” We have relatively few opportunities to
engage in open dialogue about such things, not because of legal
constraints, but because people often seek out and interact with others of
like minds and because so many of us lead such busy lives. How often do we
hear about citizens who aren’t even interested in voting, who are
disengaged because they are turned off by rhetoric, imbued with a sense of
political impotence, or inadequately informed about issues that will
directly affect their lives?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black">I can appreciate <SPAN
class=GramE>that candidates</SPAN>’ forums and debates can be
time-consuming and nerve-wracking, particularly when the sponsoring body
is unfamiliar to panelists. It is my strong hope that those candidates who
are considering boycotting MCA’s debates recognize that attendees are also
their constituents, that tough questions are and should be part of the
<SPAN class=GramE>territory, that</SPAN> they may certainly decline to
respond to questions that seem inappropriate, and finally, that membership
in MCA is open to them too!<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black">The GOP candidates who are
suspicious, fearful, or resentful of MCA members might be surprised to
find a number of their Republican constituents among them. I hope that
they will reconsider participating in as many of the upcoming debates and
forums as they can, to reach as many of our citizens as possible. We all
don’t have to agree, but it doesn’t make sense to pretend that conflicting
viewpoints—perhaps insightful ones--don’t exist. Who knows? Maybe we’ll
all learn something.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black">Nancy Chaney
</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">-----Original
Message-----<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</SPAN></B>
vision2020-bounces@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com]
<B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">On Behalf Of </SPAN></B>Mark
Solomon<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B>
</SPAN></FONT><st1:date Year="2004" Day="7" Month="10"><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">Thursday,
October 07, 2004</SPAN></FONT></st1:date><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> </SPAN></FONT><st1:time
Minute="12" Hour="9"><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">9:12
AM</SPAN></FONT></st1:time><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"><BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> vision2020@moscow.com<BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> [Vision2020] Latah GOP
candidates renege on agreement to debate</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><st1:City><st1:place><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black">Lewiston</SPAN></FONT></st1:place></st1:City><FONT
color=black><SPAN style="COLOR: black"> Morning Tribune,
</SPAN></FONT><st1:date Year="2004" Day="7" Month="10"><FONT
color=black><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">10/7/04</SPAN></FONT></st1:date><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black
size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black">Latah
</SPAN></FONT></B><st1:place><st1:PlaceType><B><FONT color=black><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: black">County</SPAN></FONT></B></st1:PlaceType><B><FONT
color=black><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: black">
</SPAN></FONT></B><st1:PlaceName><B><FONT color=black><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: black">GOP</SPAN></FONT></B></st1:PlaceName></st1:place><B><FONT
color=black><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: black"> to sit out
local debates<BR><BR></SPAN></FONT></B><I><FONT color=black><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-STYLE: italic">Dean A.
Ferguson<BR><BR></SPAN></FONT></I><FONT color=black><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">Latah County Republicans are shunning the Moscow
Civic Association debates scheduled for later this
month.<BR><BR> "They are a group that has a political mission," said
Barrett Schroeder, chairman of the Latah County
Republicans.<BR><BR> 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.<BR><BR> 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.<BR><BR> 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.<BR><BR> Barrett Schroeder called
the message "deceptive" because it hadn't been publicized.<BR><BR> In
a mass e-mail to Republican, independent and Democratic candidates, debate
organizer Bruce Livingston said candidates could introduce questions
through the audience.<BR><BR> "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
</SPAN></FONT><st1:place><FONT color=black><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">Livingston</SPAN></FONT></st1:place><FONT
color=black><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">.<BR><BR> </SPAN></FONT><st1:place><FONT
color=black><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">Livingston</SPAN></FONT></st1:place><FONT
color=black><SPAN style="COLOR: black"> said the suggestion was solely to
get as many important ideas into the debates as possible.<BR><BR> 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.<BR><BR> "I've never
heard of a PAC organizing a debate," wrote
Schroeder.<BR><BR> </SPAN></FONT><st1:place><FONT color=black><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">Livingston</SPAN></FONT></st1:place><FONT
color=black><SPAN style="COLOR: black"> called the comment "completely
wrong."<BR><BR> "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."<BR><BR> 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.<BR><BR> ------</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black"> </SPAN></FONT><st1:City><st1:place><I><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><FONT color=black><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">Ferguson</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></I></st1:place></st1:City><I><FONT
color=black><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-STYLE: italic"> may be
contacted at</SPAN></FONT></I><FONT color=black><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">
dferguson@lmtribune.com</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV></DIV>
<P>
<HR>
<P></P>_____________________________________________________<BR> List
services made available by First Step Internet, <BR> serving the
communities of the Palouse since 1994.
<BR>
http://www.fsr.net
<BR>
mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯<BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<P>
<HR>
<P></P>_____________________________________________________<BR> List
services made available by First Step Internet, <BR> serving the
communities of the Palouse since 1994.
<BR>
http://www.fsr.net
<BR>
mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>/////////////////////////////////////////////////////<BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<P>
<HR>
<P></P>_____________________________________________________<BR> List
services made available by First Step Internet, <BR> serving the
communities of the Palouse since 1994.
<BR>
http://www.fsr.net
<BR>
mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>/////////////////////////////////////////////////////<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>