When it comes to Mark Boughton excuses in regards to avoiding FREE and OPEN debates with Gary Goncalves, the last honest man in Danbury used the this laughable recycled excuse:
"It's already late in the (election) cycle and we do have a full schedule of events," he said. "I also have a responsibility to run the city of Danbury."
Now we know why about Boughton's full schedule on October 20 and 22nd...he couldn't get away from his dinner appointments
Think I'm kidding, just read this letter to the editor.
In the Oct. 20 article "Residents hold protest in front of City Hall," reporter Dirk Perrefort states "Boughton is the only incumbent in the state to reject a League debate in the last 15 years, a claim league officials couldn't verify."
Verification came in the form of my conversation last week with Jean Rabinow of the Connecticut League of Women Voters.
Sept. 10 was the date that Mayor Boughton was invited by the League to debate. He said he never received it, so a second invitation was sent on Sept. 24.
In the article, the mayor excuses himself from debating by referring to the lateness of the follow-up invitation.
Past excuses from the mayor include: his first responsibility is to run the City of Danbury. I respect that comment, only on the proposed evenings of the debate, Oct. 20 and 22, he was scheduled to enjoying dinners at Barden Corporation and Ability Beyond Disability. Not to diminish their importance, I still think his first allegiance should be to the larger voter population.
This action shows great disrespect to the League, the voters of Danbury, and his Democratic challenger Gary Goncalves. The League is about education in a nonpartisan, accessible and open forum with a live audience and it's free. Not during a $45 per plate luncheon, not on cable -- and not in a Republican-oriented venue.
So Boughton couldn't provide the public a FREE and OPEN debate because he couldn't break his dinner appointments?!?
Yeah, that sounds like a real busy schedule...
People over Politics or Politics over THE PEOPLE!
UPDATE: Hark! Danbury's last honest man found time in his busy schedule to respond...
Boy, they really are getting desperate...
Today in a letter to the editor to the NewsTimes, one of my opponents volunteers alleges that I was attending two dinners (one for Barden, and one for Ability Beyond Disability) on the nights for potential League of Women Voter debates.
Aside from dragging two terrific institutions into politics, one a major employer (Barden) in Danbury, and the other an outstanding service organization that does tremendous work with the disabled (Ability Beyond Disability), the author of the letter is just...wrong.
So let me set the record straight.
Tuesday evening I attended an employee recognition night for Barden Corporation (congratulations everybody) two awards (one posthumously) were given by me for 50 years of service to Barden. I did not stay for the dinner. This event was booked long before any campaign events except the Chamber of Commerce debate which was scheduled at the beginning of the fall.
Thursday evening I am scheduled to attend an auction at WCSU to feed people less fortunate than us and then I am playing in a wheel chair basketball game for Ability Beyond Disability at Danbury High School. Stop by and check it out, it is a major fundraiser for the organization.. No dinner in sight.
Just pathetic..
You're kidding me right?
Notwithstanding the fact that:
- Boughton found time to attend at least FIVE debates when he ran for mayor back in 2001,
- the mayor's excuse to the Fairfield Weekly regarding not debating Goncalves doesn't pass the smell test, AND
- the 45 dollar a plate chamber of commerce debate has not been televised on the government access channel (something Boughton promised he would do),
let's go back and re-read the mayor's excuse in not agreeing to a FREE and OPEN debate.
"It's already late in the (election) cycle and we do have a full schedule of events," he said. "I also have a responsibility to run the city of Danbury."
So, your responsibilities to the city of Danbury consist of attending an awards ceremony (hmm...wonder how long that took you to do) and a wheelchair basketball charity event. These two things prevented him from doing at least one FREE and OPEN debate for the residents you supposedly care about?
Mayor Boughton had events to do on Tues and Thurs? Okay, fine. How about Monday, Wednesday, Friday, the weekend? I'm sure many members of the public would like to see your schedule for every evening from now until election day (including weekends) so we can ALL see how busy you really are when it comes to running the city. I mean since your so busy from now until election day to do ONE FREE and OPEN debate, I think the public has a right to know exactly what you're doing (besides littering the area with MORE lawn signs).
In short, the mayor of the 7th largest city in Connecticut felt that attending two fundraisers is more important than offering ONE FREE and OPEN debate...and he has the audacity to describe the person who informed the public about his schedule as "pathetic."
Pot meet kettle.
RELATED POSTS:
Day 39: Residents protest Boughton refusal to debate
Day 31: Funny how time changes a man
Day 27: FREE and OPEN debate excuses go from the ridiculous to the absurd
Day 25: fundraising for candidates are more important to Boughton than FREE and OPEN debates
Day 24 and no word from Boughton
Democratic Town Committee chairman weighs in on Boughton avoiding FREE and OPEN debates
News-Times to Boughton: Stop waffling on FREE and OPEN debates
Avoiding free and open debates is nothing new for Boughton
Goncalves blasts Boughton over not agreeing to open debates
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