October
21, Monday 8 - 10 p
(May be replayed on News Channel 8) [completed]
Montgomery Community College - Televised on News
Channel 8
Coalition of Civic Associations/MC Alumni Association Candidate Debate
51 Mannakee Street, Rockville, MD 20850
The candidate was initially excluded by the sponsoring civic associations based
upon the extraordinary basis that only candidates who achieved 20% of the vote
in the previous election (assuming, of course, they ran in the previous
election) would be permitted to participate. A private citizen and
independent candidate in another race filed an injunction to block exclusion of
the D2003 candidate. The College was making arrangements to fight
this injunction, when the Honorable Congresswomen Morella informed the College
she would not attend the debate if the D2003 candidate was excluded.
Within 15 minutes an invitation was proffered. [Note: The Congresswomen
rightly noted that Montgomery College receives over $150 million in public
funding each year. Further, she taught at the College for more than a
dozen years. She is and was a great public servant.] It should
also be noted that College Director of
Communications, Steve Simon and News Channel 8 were also supportive.
[Sen. Van Hollen and Rep. Morella attended.]
October
19 - November 4 (To be aired repeatedly on Channel 21)
[completed]
Maryland League of Women Voters - Montgomery
Chapter Candidate Debate
Montgomery Community Television
Tuesday, Oct. 22nd -
6:00 pm
Sunday, Oct. 27th - 5:00 pm
Wednesday, Oct. 30th - 8:30 pm
Thursday, Oct. 31st - 10:00 am
Sunday, Nov. 3rd - 9:00 pm
[Sen. Van Hollen and Rep. Morella attended.]
October
13 - November 4 (to be aired repeatedly on Channel 19, 21) [completed]
Candidate's Position Statement (4 minutes)
Montgomery Community
Television
Channels 19 and 21
October 7, Monday (to
be aired repeatedly on Channel 16) 6- 9:00 pm
[completed]
People's Community Baptist Church - Candidate's Forum
31 Norwood Road, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20905
Hope Johnson 202-662-2271
Sponsors
MC NAACP, MC Pan-Hellenic
Council, MC
African-American Democratic Club, MC League of Women Voters
[Rep. Morella and Sen. Van Hollen attended]
October
5, Saturday 10-11:30 am [completed]
Montgomery Village Foundation - Meet the Candidates Open House
North Creek Community Center, 20125 Arrowhead Road, Montgomery Village, MD
Sharon Levine (301) 948-0110 x313
[Sen. Van Hollen attended]
August
23, Friday Noon to 2:30 pm
[completed]
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce - Candidate Forum
Marriott Hotel - Bethesda
[Sen. Van Hollen attended]
The following venues
either refused to include D2003
in their debate/forum did not covered the campaign as news. These exclusionary decisions should be considered
against these facts: 1) the D2003 campaign began April 17, and the candidate
got on
the ballot August 16, 2) there are 70,000+ registered independent voters (18%) in the 8th District of Maryland,
3) over 5000 signatures were collected to be on the ballot as an independent - the party candidates merely had to
send a piece of paper to Annapolis, and 4) there is a national trend of increased independent registrations while various
institutions continue to exclude independent candidates.
Community Debate/Forums
[Note: On October 7 the D2003 candidate spoke personally with Congresswomen Morella and Senator Van Hollen. Both stated they did not object to the candidate's participation in any debate or forum. All upcoming debates and forums were then re-contacted with this information. They still refused to include the D2003 candidate.]
WTOP,
News Channel AM 1500
Candidates’ forum w/ Mark Plotkin - Thursday, October 31, 10 a.m.
202-895-5000
Not invited. Requested, turned down. This exclusion was important
as the debate was picked up by C-SPAN.
Asian
American Political Alliance
Candidate Forum - Wednesday, October 30, 7-8- p.m.
Churchill High School
301-435-0568
Not invited. Requested, turned down.
AARP
Candidates’ Forum - Wednesday, October 30, 9:30 – 11 a.m.
Holiday Park Senior Center, Wheaton.
MD AARP 410-837-4300
Could have participated with a showing of 5% in an independent poll.
[Note: AARP has a national requirement which is reasonable.
Candidates who have received at least 5% in an independent poll may
participate. Unfortunately, none of the independent polls conducted for
the 8th District election - Gazette/Sun or Gonzales/Arscott - included the D2003
candidate in the poll. Independent press? Independent of
what? Not the Democrat/Republican party oligarchy. With 71,000
voters registered independent and over 350,000 citizens not even registered, the
newspapers apparently think only the Democrat and Republican party views
count. Covering and polling other views is not
permitted. This has more in common with the old Soviet Union
than with the American constitutional republic. Is there any wonder
why voter registration in the MD 8th District fell over 40,000 since 2000?]
Temple Beth
El/United Methodist Church
Candidate forum - Monday, October 28, 7 – 8 p.m.
8300 Old Georgetown Road.
Beth El 301-652-2606 UM
301-652-2990
Not invited. Requested, turned down.
Jewish
Community Council/Temple Beth Ami
Candidate Forum Thursday, October 24,
8 – 10 p.m.
14330 Travilah, Rockville, MD
301-340-6818
Third party and independent candidates not allowed. Requested, turned
down.
NBC
Affiliate WRC Channel 4
Candidate Debate Tuesday, October 22, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
4001 Nebraska Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
202-885-4000
nbc4dc@nbc.com
Not invited. Requested, turned down.
[Only permits candidates who can win the election and are "news
worthy" to participate in their debates. Issues and ideas are
secondary.]
National
Association of Retired Federal Employees
Gaithersburg Candidates’ Forum - Tuesday, October 22, 1 p.m.
Parker Hall, 405 Russell Avenue, Gaithersburg
Not invited. Requested, turned down.
Maryland
Public Television - PBS Channel 22
Candidate Debate - October 21, Monday
11767 Ownings Mills Blvd, Ownings Mills MD 21117
410-581-4097 or 1-800-627-6788
comments@mpt.org
Not invited. Requested,
turned down.
[Note: Incredibly, this public television station only permits candidates who
are polling at 15% OR HIGHER to be in their debates. There are 71,000
(18%) registered independent voters in the 8th District. MPT receives
taxpayer funding and is essentially telling those 71,000 taxpayers to go pound
sand. This is the role we want public television to play in the
election process?].
[10/20/02 Note: MPT provided some separate time for the candidate on the program "Direct
Connection." While this is welcome, inclusion in the debate was the
appropriate action, and it is hoped MPT policy will be changed for future
elections to match that of the League of Women Voters.]
Friendship
Heights Village Council
Candidate Forum - Thursday, October
17, 6 p.m.
Friendship Heights Village Center, sponsored by
Moderated by Mayor Melanie White
4450 South Park, Friendship Heights
Not invited. Requested, turned down.
[Note: the Mayor did offer to introduce the D2003 candidate at the
forum. Also, the debate was picked up by MMC Television, Channel 16.]
B'Nai
Israel Congregation
B'nai Mens Club Candidate Forum - October 13, Sunday
6301 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD 20852-4195
Not invited. Requested, turned down.
[Note: this exclusion accompanies that of the Jewish Community Center of Greater
Washington (see below). It is very disturbing that community
organizations representing a religious and ethnic group which has suffered
exclusion and discrimination for centuries would systematically exclude balloted
candidates from their debate/forums.]
Common Cause of Maryland
Chevy Chase Congressional Candidate Debate - August 21
Box 942,
Annapolis, MD 21404
James Browning, Executive Director
Not invited to the debate.
Apparently commonality only goes so far with Common Cause.
ccmd@crosslink.net
Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington
Seniors Organized for Change Candidates Forum - July 11
Congressional Election Forum - October 24
6125 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD
Specifically excludes ALL independent candidates from their debate/forums.
Requested, turned down.
Takoma Park Folk Festival - September 22
Political parties are allowed tables, individual (read independent) candidates are not.
It is the largest event in Takoma Park each year.
Local Media
Washington Post Newspaper - April 17 to Sept. 22
In dozens of articles on the 8th District election, only one mention on
July 18 prior to ballot certification in a piece on "fringe candidates."
Nothing else until one sentence just prior to the election along with the
obligatory "Voters Guide." No personal interview or photograph.
www.disclosure2003.net/Help_Options.htm#Print
Washington Times Newspaper - April 17 to Sept. 22
No mentions in any 8th District campaign articles until a single
sentence on October
22. No personal interview or photograph.
www.disclosure2003.net/Help_Options.htm#Print
Bethesda Gazette Newspaper
One mention in April prior to ballot certification on August 16.
Two paragraphs on October 23. No personal interview or photograph.
www.disclosure2003.net/Help_Options.htm#Print
All Local radio and television stations
Despite numerous press releases for six months. No interviews were
proffered until October 30, six days before the election. Since then
brief interviews were offered on MPT "Direct Connection" (10/30), WAMU
(10/30), WMAL and WTOP (11/4). Excluded from the WTOP debate which was
picked up by C-SPAN. Better late than never? The point here is
that other candidates were interviewed months ahead of election day.
Holding off interviews with third party and independent candidates helps insure
the public is not aware of their candidacy. This tactic has to be
considered in light of the vast sums of money the Democrat and Republican
candidates and parties pour into the pockets of radio, television and newspaper
business operations.
Excluding balloted candidates from debates and news coverage, while not illegal, is offensive to a growing
number of citizens. The editors and organizers of these venues should be ashamed.
D2003 put as much pressure as possible on such exclusionary policies and invited all D2003 supporters to do the same.
Mail contacts and email links are provided under "Media
Contacts."
© Copyright 2002 Disclosure2003