Forrest Rebukes Brown for Ducking Debates

Sept. 26, 2012 - PRLog -- Liz Forrest, Democratic candidate for State Representative in the 189th
District, has sharply rebuked her opponent, incumbent Rep. Rosemary Brown,
for refusing to participate in any one-on-one debates of the issues.
 In a letter dated Sept. 3, Forrest formally challenged Brown to three
debates to take place throughout the 189th District. Brown replied in a
letter on Sept. 10, saying she believes a six-candidate forum to be hosted
by the League of Women Voters on Saturday, Oct. 20, at 9:30 a.m., and
broadcast only on Blue Ridge Cable Channel 13 is sufficient.
But Forrest said the forum is not the same as a debate, is being held at an
inconvenient time and place for attendance by most voters in the 189th
district, and voters who do not subscribe to Blue Ridge Cable won't be able
to watch it on TV.
"Although I will be participating in it, the candidates' forum will not give
the issues affecting the 189th District the kind of attention they deserve,"
said Forrest. "The citizens of Monroe and Pike counties deserve one-on-one
debates so they can make an informed choice about who is the better
candidate to represent them in Harrisburg."
  Forrest said Brown prefers the six-candidate forum because she can "take
cover" behind her Republican colleagues and answer fewer specific questions
about "her record of broken promises and failed leadership."
 "What is Rosemary Brown trying to hide?" Forrest asked. "She needs to
explain why she promised new jobs but now our counties have one of the
highest unemployment rates in the state. She needs to explain why she cut
$10 million in education funding for our schools, forcing local districts to
raise taxes 10 percent, and then sent our tax dollars to fund charter
schools in Philadelphia. And, she needs to explain why she's done nothing
except give lip service to property tax reform, but managed to give herself
a $6,500 pay raise and better health insurance benefits."
Forrest promised to continue seeking a compromise and noted that at least
one prominent non-partisan organization in Pike County had reached out to
her campaign with a possible debate venue.