Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
This further proves that "King" Russell Pearce's stalking horse candidate Olivia Cortes is a "sham" candidate, she will not be participating in what may be the one and only debate of the recall election.* Pearce, Lewis to debate Oct. 6 at Mesa chamber forum – East Valley Tribune:
State Senate President Russell Pearce and challenger Jerry Lewis will debate for the first — and possibly only — time Oct. 6 at a public forum presented by the Mesa Chamber of Commerce.
The two Republican candidates are squaring off in the Nov. 8 special recall election in Legislative District 18.
The third candidate, Olivia Cortes, has not responded to several chamber requests. Invitations were sent to Cortes via Fed-Ex mail (which the chamber said was signed for), email and phone messages. Cortes has not made herself available to the media or the public and has been accused of being a “sham” candidate aiming to siphon votes away from Lewis.
* * *
The forum will begin at 5 p.m. Oct. 6 in the Jack E. Shell Auditorium of the East Valley Institute of Technology, 1601 W. Main St. Tickets, which are free, will be required for admission to the forum. Approximately 500 tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis with emphasis given to LD 18 voters. Ticket requests can be made via email at forum@mesachamber.org or by phone at (480) 969-1307, Ext. 16.
Arrangements are also being made for public broadcast and webcast of the forum. The Tribune will have video available at EastValleyTribune.com
Otto Shill III, chairman of the chamber’s Public Policy Council, will serve as moderator of the forum. Questions will be asked by a four-person panel consisting of East Valley Tribune Managing Editor Bob Romantic, Melissa Blasius of KPNX, Joanna Allhands of the Arizona Republic and Jeff Mirasola of the Mesa Chamber’s Public Policy Council. Question topics will include economic development, job creation, business regulation and taxation, immigration and education.
* UPDATE: Olivia Cortes had not responded to several inquiries from the chamber and missed the initial deadline to participate, but she informed the group on Wednesday that she would like to take part. Cortes agrees to take part in Mesa chamber's recall election forum – East Valley Tribune.
UPDATE II: Channel 12's Brahm Resnik scored an e-mail from political sleaze Constantin Querard sent earlier this year seeking shill candidates to run against Pearce in the recall. Querard claims he was trying to recruit Democrats to run in the recall. Which, of course, is total B.S. (h/t Phoenix New Times).