OLD LYME — We have just been informed that tonight’s debate has been reformatted as follows:-
The event will start at 5:30 p.m. NOT the previously announced 5 p.m. It will still be held in Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School (LOLMS.) All are welcome.
Victoria Lanier, campaign manager for the Republicans, states, “The Republican candidates will go forward. Eric Parker [of Channel 3 News*] will ask questions of the Republican candidates that will be supplied to him in a sealed envelope when he arrives at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School.” [The questions will be a combination of those submitted to CT Examiner and LymeLine.]
The Democrats will not participate.
Ann Reiter, campaign manager for the Democrats, states, “… unfortunately our (the Democrats) understanding yesterday at 2pm was that the debate was cancelled because of several reasons, the main being that we did not have a moderator and neither Vicki or I had any prospects for a moderator. At that point we (the Democrats) notified our supporters and candidates that the debate was cancelled. I was not available last night and did not receive news about Eric Parker’s possible participation until very late last night. We were disappointed to cancel the event and Vicki and I both agreed that if we are the campaign managers for the town committees again in two years, we would work together starting in September to create a fair and well-planned event.”
Lanier counters, “Anna Reiter … confirmed that the Democratic candidates will not be attending the scheduled debate this evening at the LOLMS. Her reasoning was that she claimed to me that “we agreed to cancel the debate”. To be perfectly clear – there was never an agreement to cancel the debate. Rather, she informed me yesterday via telephone (rather than email) at about 2pm that her candidates wouldn’t be at the debate because we didn’t have a confirmed moderator.”
Both campaign managers expressed thanks to CT Examiner and LymeLine for supporting their efforts.
We understand the event will be recorded and the recording posted on the Old Lyme Republicans Facebook page shortly after the conclusion of the event. Here is a link to the recording.
Editor’s Note: Eric Parker is taking this role in a personal capacity not as a representative of Channel 3 News.
There is no debate. I would think that any questions that were submitted were under the belief that both sides would have the opportunity to address them. I hope Eric Parker remembers that and decides that this is not really anything he should “moderate”.
There already was a debate, hosted by The Day. You can watch it here: https://www.facebook.com/thedayct/videos/1027335804494413/
At roughly the 45 minute mark, Tim Griswold said, “I don’t read everything I sign.”
What is the truth here?
The entire debate should be cancelled. This is a travesty.
I attended the ‘debate’ tonight – all 50 minutes of it. All of the topics addressed were previously addressed in earlier debates. Griswold is running primarily on his many years of prior service, stating Shoemarker has no experience, but then, neither does Ward. He also faults Shoemaker for running for two positions, but then, so is he. The only thing of interest tonight was that Griswold admitted the town should have done more due diligence before digging the hole it is in now regarding sewers. (I am not sure why the town is not pursuing retesting at SV as it did for Hawks Nest or why the town is not approaching DEEP regarding costs, as it did for White Sands when either could be valid arguments.)
I am disappointed that I took time to attend this debate tonight.