Press Release - Yorktown Democrats Seek Impartial Debate Forum

Yorktown Democratic Committee

For Immediate Release

The Yorktown Republican Party refuses to participate in a debate moderated by an impartial group, the League of Women Voters. The Chamber of Commerce will only participate if they can act as both sponsor and moderator of a debate among local candidates on the November ballot. Five Republican candidates for local office either sit on the Chamber’s Board of Directors, Executive Board, or are members of the Chamber.

The Yorktown Republican Committee has accepted the Chamber of Commerce’s debate invitation despite the conflict of interest that having current candidates also sitting on the Board of Directors presents, thereby making it impossible to present a fair debate that Yorktown residents can trust.

To avoid this conflict, Yorktown Democratic Committee Co-Chair Elliot Krowe asked the League of Women Voters to moderate the debate instead. The League of Women Voters is an organization dedicated to promoting informed civic participation, and it retains distinguished and impartial debate moderators across Westchester County and the nation.

A representative of the League of Women Voters contacted Yorktown Chamber President Sergio Esposito with an offer to moderate the debate. Mr. Esposito rejected this offer, as did the Yorktown Republican Committee.

“An organization with four Republican candidates on its board and another as a member does not belong in the debate business” said Yorktown Democratic Committee Co-Chair, Ron Stokes. “A judge who knows a party recuses himself. A juror who knows a party is not seated. But the Chamber sees no conflict with four Republican candidates on its board and neither does the Yorktown Republican Party” said Stokes.

Yorktown Democratic Committee Co-Chair Krowe said, “Our candidates are eager to debate in a fair forum. The League of Women Voters runs fair debates in virtually every community in the county. There is no reason they should not be doing one in Yorktown. The League’s commitment to integrity is reflected in its debate rules, which are designed to scrupulously ensure that there is not even an appearance of impropriety. It is recommended that debate moderators are not identified with a political party, do not have any connection with the candidates in the debate, and are from another community.”

The Yorktown Democratic candidates stand with voters in calling for a credible debate, in a fair forum, on the issues. Therefore, the Democratic candidates, Yorktown Town Supervisor Ilan Gilbert, Town Clerk Diana Quast, and Town Council candidates Patricia Sullivan-Rothberg and Sheralyn Goodman, must respectfully decline the invitation for the Yorktown Chamber of Commerce to both sponsor and moderate a debate for the upcoming 2019 Town Board election.

Contact: Elliot Krowe, elliotkrowe1@gmail.com 914-953-8326