Griffith is only candidate expected for 9th forum

ABINGDON, Va. – When the 10th Amendment Foundation first planned a forum for 9th District congressional candidates, all three indicated they would come, said Richard Macbeth, organizer of the forum and national treasurer for the organization.

But with the event scheduled for 7:30 p.m. today at George Wythe High School in Wytheville, only one candidate, Republican Morgan Griffith, is planning to show up.

Democrat Rick Boucher, who has represented the district in Congress since 1983, was the first to decline the invitation. Boucher reaffirmed his reasoning in an interview Wednesday, saying the foundation’s leadership is too closely tied to the Republican Party and to opponent Morgan Griffith, so he doesn’t believe it will be a neutral forum.

“I simply don’t think that it’s appropriate to take part in a candidate forum that’s being sponsored under the leadership of individuals that are so closely affiliated with the Republican Party,” Boucher said.

Independent candidate Jeremiah Heaton announced Monday that he too would skip the event after learning that Boucher would be represented by an empty chair, with someone consulting his voting record in response to questions.

“I think that is unbecoming, and I think it is not in line with what people consider to be a legitimate forum,” Heaton said, explaining that while he’d previously accepted the invitation, he only recently learned of this plan. “I just don’t think it’s proper decorum for a congressional debate to be making a mockery of a candidate who’s not there.”

Griffith said he’s made an effort this campaign season to attend as many events as he can – and, while he can’t attend them all, candidates for office have an obligation to make themselves accessible to voters.

“We have an obligation to be out there and talk to people live, one-on-one, as much as we can,” Griffith said.

Catherine Turner, a foundation member and a tea party organizer in Abingdon and Bristol, said the event is bringing together people from tea party groups around the 9th District, and the two candidates’ planned absence is a sign of the times.

“It just seems that these candidates are so afraid to get in front of the public, to actually look them in the eye and answer real questions,” said Turner, who called the situation tragic.

“What is the public left to do when their elected representative absolutely refuses to meet with the public outside of an extremely controlled environment?” Turner said. “This society is becoming more and more closed all the time, and all we can do is continue to shine light on the fact that these people are cowards.”

While other groups, such as the Montgomery County League of Women Voters and the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, chose not to hold election forums after Boucher declined participation, the 10th Amendment Foundation decided to have its event anyway.

Mary Houska, president of the league, speculated that not participating in its forums – Boucher hasn’t in the past, either – could be part of a campaign strategy aimed at preventing lesser-known candidates from getting a foothold in the public eye.

In a recent interview with the Bristol Herald Courier editorial board, Boucher said he’s received scores of debate invitations but has other campaign obligations, and it’s been typical over the years for him to participate in one or two televised debates.

“We have two hour-long televised debates taking place in October,” Boucher said. “I think that’s enough.”

In addition to the two debates at TV stations in Roanoke and Bluefield, a second Roanoke station is hosting a 30-minute forum.

At this point, the Internet is the only place voters in far Southwest Virginia will be able to view the events, because none of the stations reach that far west. Thursday’s forum in Wytheville will be posted after the fact on a tea party website.

Turner said holding a debate with an empty chair is an accepted practice. What’s out of order, she said, is the way she says she and others have been sidelined when trying to ask questions of Boucher at public meetings.

Comments from tea party organizers are not all that different from the news statements issued by the Griffith campaign in recent weeks, blasting Boucher for his failure to participate in a host of forums around the district.

Griffith initially challenged Boucher to debate him in every county in the 9th district – 27 debates in all.

Macbeth, whose organization supports small government and state sovereignty, also said that none of the televised debates are actually being held in the district, nor are they open to the public. He said it’s a way of giving voters the runaround, and limiting their ability to ask questions of their congressional candidates.

dmccown@bristolnews.com | (276) 791-0701