PRESS RELEASE - Green, Libertarian and Constitution Party Candidates for Governor of Maryland Demand Inclusion in Gubernatorial Debate

THERE ARE FIVE CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR OF MARYLAND

AND

THREE OF THEM DEMAND TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 11, 2010

 

The Green (Maria Allwine), Libertarian (Susan Gaztanaga) and Constitution Party (Eric Knowles) candidates for Governor of Maryland sent the following letter via electronic mail to Jay Newman and Arthur Abramson of WJZ-TV and the Baltimore Jewish Council respectively, to demand their inclusion in the televised debate scheduled for October 11, 2010 between the other two candidates, Martin O’Malley and Robert Ehrlich. 

 

Maria Allwine was told by another station (when a debate was announced in August) that the two major party candidates would refuse to show up at any debate where the third-party candidates were invited to participate.  Have the same parameters been applied to the debate on WJZ-TV?  Why are the voters of Maryland denied their right to see and hear these three candidates? 

 

What are Gov. Martin O’Malley and former Governor Robert Ehrlich afraid of?

 

The letter is included below and a  signed letter is attached as a PDF for your information.

 

October 5, 2010

 

Jay Newman

General Manager

WJZ-TV

3725 Malden Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland 21211

 

Arthur C. Abramson

Executive Director

Baltimore Jewish Council

5750 Park Heights Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland 21215

 

            Re:  Gubernatorial Debates

 

Dear Messrs. Newman and Abramson:

 

We, the undersigned, are candidates for governor of Maryland who will appear on the general election ballot on November 2, 2010.  We are members of recognized third-parties with ballot access.

 

We are, to put it mildly, dismayed, offended and angered that you have deliberately chosen to exclude us from this debate.  Rather than providing a forum for the voters of Maryland to hear ALL the candidates, you have decided who and what they will hear.  And you have decided they will not hear new and innovative solutions to the problems facing us all.  You have decided that the same failed leadership will be offered to the voters as the only choices available to them.

 

Who decided to exclude the third-party candidates?  And, more importantly, who controls the parameters of the debates?  Have Governor O’Malley and former Governor Ehrlich told you that they would not attend any debate where the other candidates were invited?  Why are they so afraid for the voters to hear what we have to say?

 

In the interest of preserving what is left of our democratic process and performing the public service which you are bound to do, we expect to receive invitations to the debate on October 11.  If you will not extend the same invitation to us that you extended to the other two candidates, please provide us with a written explanation outlining why you will not do so.

 

We look forward to hearing from you with an invitation to each of us to participate in the debate.

 

 

Maria Allwine                                  Susan Gaztanaga                                         Eric Knowles

Green Party Candidate                  Libertarian Party Candidate                      Constitution Party Candidate

 

Contact for more information:

 

Maria Allwine

MD Green Party Candidate for Governor of Maryland

 

People United to Elect Maria Allwine

501 and 1/2 East 43rd Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21212

http://www.allwineforgovernor.org

allwineforgovernor@gmail.com

410-929-6079 (campaign) or 443.762.0892 (personal cell)