Doherty Declines Invite to Debate Civil Rights

Evidently a debate on civil rights isn’t something Brendan Doherty thinks would be helpful to his campaign.

The Republican ex-cop is the only CD1 candidate not to accept an invitation to a debate being hosted by the Rhode Island Civil Rights Roundtable, billed by the group as “an opportunity to hear these candidates debate issues related to civil rights and equality, as they respond to a questions about current federal matters and legislation.”

Both Democrat David Cicilline and independent David Vogel will discuss these issues.

Said Democratic Party spokesman Bill Fischer about Doherty’s dodge, “It’s astounding that a candidate running for U.S. Congress would avoid an opportunity to discuss issues of importance to so many Rhode Islanders, including minorities and women: affordable housing, education, the DREAM Act, health care, the Violence Against Women Act, and discrimination.”

I disagree. I don’t think it’s astounding at all. In fact, I would have been surprised if Doherty had accepted the invitation as he against what a majority of Rhode Islanders believe in on these issues.

Just look at some of the topics, provided by the Roundtable group, that they will ask candidates about: affordable housing; Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA); education; the Dream Act; the Affordable Care Act; End Racial Profiling Act; Violence Against Women Act (VAWA); and voter ID laws.

That’s like a greatest hits list of topics Brendan Doherty doesn’t want Rhode Island to know where he stands on!!

Also, it’s interesting to note that one of the policy issues, the Violence Against Women Act, has been a source of sparring between the Cicilline and Doherty campaigns. Cicilline has accused Doherty of not supporting the bill and Doherty’s campaign has said he doesn’t because it offers protections to transgender people.

The debate is tomorrow morning from 9:00am to 10:30am at the Casey Family Services at 1268 Eddy St. in Providence.