Lawless seeks more debates with Langevin
Jennifer L. Lawless, the Brown University professor challenging U.S. Rep. James R. Langevin in a Democratic primary, yesterday announced that she has challenged Langevin to a series of four debates and received no response.
Lawless said she sent Langevin a letter on July 19 proposing a series of four debates on the issues of terrorism and civil liberties, women and families, jobs and education, and the war in Iraq.
But Langevin has offered no response in more than two weeks, Lawless said in a news release. The release did note, however, that she and Langevin have agreed to an Aug. 30 debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
"It is time for James Langevin to answer for his voting record in Congress," Lawless said. Among other issues, she said she wants to discuss Langevin's "votes for President Bush's most intrusive version of the Patriot Act" and his "27 votes in favor of restricting a woman's right to choose."
Joy Fox, spokeswoman for the Langevin campaign, responded to the news release by saying, "Congressman Langevin has always been willing to meet with his opponents and air the issues in fair public forums." She said Langevin has agreed to debate Lawless both at the Aug. 30 League of Women Voters event and during a 10 News Conference program that will be taped Sept. 1
"It's not clear to me why she felt the need to put out this press release," Fox said. "It appears to be an attention-grabbing gimmick."
This article, written by Edward Fitzpatrick, appeared on August 4, 2006, in the Providence Journal.
CAMPAIGN RELEASE
Lawless Calls on Langevin for Four Debates
“It’s time for James Langevin to answer for his voting record in Congress,” said Lawless.
WARWICK, RI – Jennifer Lawless, a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District, addressed a crowd of approximately 100 supporters at her “Rally for REAL Democratic Leadership” last Thursday at the Cranston Portuguese Club.
“I’m running for Congress because I believe our country has lost its way,” said Lawless. “Our schools are getting mandates from Washington instead of the support they need. We’re losing jobs. Millions of families are one accident away from financial ruin because they don’t have health coverage. Gas prices are astronomical. We’re stuck in an endless war with no plan to win, or to leave. Voters are clear: we need change. And James Langevin is not change.”
Lawless was introduced at the rally by Carolyn Mark, President of the Rhode Island chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and Frank Ferri, Co-Chair of Marriage Equality RI. In her speech, Lawless called for a new direction and real democratic leadership.
“We can head in a new direction,” continued Lawless. “We can hold ourselves, our candidates, and our leaders accountable to the utmost measures of justice, equality, fairness, and democracy. We can elect Democrats who will fight this President’s ill-advised agenda. We can create a higher standard for America, and a better future for Rhode Island. And with new leadership in Washington and with me as one of Rhode Island’s Representatives, we will do better.”
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Will he, or won’t he?
Democrat and 2nd District Congressional candidate Jennifer Lawless has made the offer to her opponent and incumbent, Jim Langevin, to debate at least four times before the Sept. 12 Primary Election. So far, though, the Lawless campaign said they’ve had no response from Langevin’s staff. But the congressman’s office says that’s not true.
Langevin Press Secretary Joy Fox said yesterday that the congressman has agreed to two debates with Lawless and suspected that a Lawless press release suggesting Langevin may have been dodging the request was an attempt by the Lawless campaign to engage in political grandstanding.
The first Langevin-Lawless debate is scheduled for Aug. 30 in the studios of WSBE-TV, the Rhode Island PBS affiliate, located at 50 Park Lane in Providence. The second debate will be for 10 News Conference on WJAR-TV, scheduled for taping on Sept. 1 at the TV station’s Cranston studios and airing on Sunday, Sept. 3.
"With less than two months remaining until the primary, I believe it is imperative for Rhode Islanders from the Second District to see their Democratic candidates for U.S. Congress together, discussing the important issues that families face each day," Lawless said in a letter to Langevin, dated July 19.
The four debates she called for, Lawless said, would focus on: terrorism and civil liberties, women and families, jobs and education, and the war in Iraq.
This article appeared on August 8, 2006, in the Warwick Beacon.
