Yaede declines League of Women Voters forum
HAMILTON >> Count her out.
Hamiltonians have a better chance of winning the lottery than getting Republican Mayor Kelly Yaede and Democratic challenger Jeff Martin in a room together to debate each other before next month’s general election.
Deborah Macmillan of the League of Women Voters confirmed Monday to The Trentonian a tentatively scheduled mayoral forum slated for later this month is off. Asked about any possibility of salvaging a debate-style showdown between the candidates, Macmillan put the odds at “maybe one in a thousand, but, at this point, no, it’s not possible.”
The League of Women Voters extended an invitation to both candidates to host a forum Oct 28. after Yaede refused to participate in a Trentonian-sponsored debate due to the newspaper’s alleged biased coverage of her.
Martin committed to the forum but the civic organization needed a firm yes from Yeade, who initially agreed on the condition the forum was staffed by security, according to emails obtained by The Trentonian.
Macmillan said the organization was prepared to handle the mayor’s security demands. But she needed an emphatic answer from Yaede by Monday’s 10 a.m. deadline in order to give the organization time for arrangements.
The deadline passed without an answer from Yaede, who also did not respond to phone calls from the newspaper Monday afternoon.
The mayor took to Facebook later in the day claiming the LWV “adamantly” denied in a conversation with her stating her participation was conditioned on security, and she also falsely claimed The Trentonian didn’t contact for comment.
The Trentonian called both her cell phones and left a message with her trusted lieutenant, business administrator Dave Kenny, seeking comment on her reasons for not participating in the forum.
Neither Yaede or Kenny called back; instead the mayor went online to complain.
“Not wanting what occurs at Hamilton Council Meetings to occur at a public venue [sic],” the mayor wrote in her statement. “The offensive and appalling behavior of certain individuals should not pervade any public forum.”
Macmillan emailed Martin Oct. 8 indicating Yaede agreed to participate in the forum “so long as we have security, which we will arrange.”
Macmillan reached out The Trentonian around 5:45 p.m. after it already published an online story about Yaede not participating in the forum.
Macmillan contacted the newspaper after Yaede called LWV to complain.
“The security issues for Mayor Yaede had nothing to do with the inability to get the forum together,” Macmillan said. “For the record, you’ll have to talk to her about” her reasons for not participating.
Martin called the mayor’s decision not to participate in the forum a “shame.”
“The people who are really hurt are the voters of Hamilton. I’m very disappointed,” he said in a phone interview. “I think this hurts the abilities of voters to make an educated decision. I said yes to The Trentonian. I said to the League. I even said yes to the Hamilton Post before” a debate.
Getting the candidates to settle on a debate sponsor has been like a game of “Ring Around the Rosie,” with Yaede ducking out of The Trentonian debate because she disliked the newspaper’s coverage and some staff members who she alleged tweeted sexist remarks.
Yaede nominated the Hamilton Post, a Community News Service publication, without its knowledge to take the tabloid’s place. But the Post, in an editorial, rebuffed the mayor’s unsolicited advance saying it was unwilling to be inserted in the middle of media tug-of-war.
“Her Facebook post blindsided us,” the Hamilton Post said, “particularly because it came before our staff had a chance to discuss internally whether the Hamilton Post wanted to sponsor its own debate, let alone iron out details with the candidates themselves. While we are honored the mayor thinks so highly of us, we feel the public manner of her request — particularly in pitting the Post against another media outlet — draws suspicion on the editorial integrity of any event sponsored by the Hamilton Post. We have always valued being an open and honest publication, editorially independent from political influence.”
Yaede eagerly agreed to a debate on friendlier turf with WBCB 1490 a.m. radio host Joe Fabrizi, who is on the township’s payroll as a part-time building inspector.
Martin declined that offer citing Fabrizi’s obvious conflict of interest since the mayor is effectively the radio host’s boss. Fabrizi earlier conducted a softball interview of the mayor.
In stepped the League of Women Voters to try to save the day.
Macmillan stressed the organization’s “evenhanded” approach in an Oct. 6 pitch email.
“Perhaps we can help you both to participate in a single forum rather than one in one, the other in another. We have done our initial work in preparing a forum,” Macmillan wrote. “If you agree pending agreement on further arrangements, we will do the rest of the work, securing and getting agreement on a venue, getting agreement on a date and time, securing a League trained moderator from outside Hamilton, fixing a format acceptable to you both, publicizing the event, arranging for taping or possibly live streaming, etc., etc.
“I hope this proposal will help us move past the topic of WHICH debate you will each participate in and onto how you now serve Hamilton residents and hope to serve them in the future.”
Martin believed “100 percent” in the organization’s ability to be “fair, balanced and nonpartisan.” He was asked whether he believes the mayor is ducking him because she doesn’t really want to debate.
Ever the sedate diplomat, he responded, “I don’t know what’s going through the mayor’s mind.”
Martin wasn’t inclined to change his mind about a Fabrizi-led debate for the sake of salvaging something before the election.
“I still think the offer from Fabrizi is not a credible one given that his paychecks are signed and he was hired by the mayor,” the Democrat said. “As long as Joe Fabrizi is involved, I don’t view that as a credible offer.”