Talk about running away from voters.
Lobbyist and candidate Todd Hunter withdrew from a District 32 candidate debate over the weekend. The debate, which has already been publicized by university groups on local radio and in print, was to be held at Texas A&M Corpus Christi on September 22.
Hunter was for an open debate before he was against debating. In 2006, former Rep. Gene Seaman also refused to debate Rep. Garcia. He hi from voters and failed to allow the people of House District 32 ask questions about the issues impacting their daily lives.
Hunter hasn't appeared in a joint forum with Garcia since the Leadership Corpus Christi Candidate Forum on May 21st. During that session, the candidates were asked if they would make their personal tax records available to the public. In a much talked-about response, Hunter appeared to make the release of his tax records contingent on Garcia releasing his military records. While Garcia released his unconditionally, 100 days later, Hunter has yet to do so.
Records publicly available from the Texas Ethics Commission (http://www.ethics.state.tx.us/dfs/loblists.htm ) indicate Todd Hunter has been paid up to $3.6 million over the past 10 years as a lobbyist, with more than two-thirds of his lobby pay coming directly from the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association over the last four years.
This was supposed to be a non-partisan, fair debate. It was organized by student groups at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, the Island Democrats, College Republicans, and the Student Government Association.
Gilbert Morales, a student at A&M Corpus Christi and organizer of the event, said, "It is a shame that Todd Hunter is withdrawing from this debate. The Garcia Campaign was willing to participate in any format, and with any moderator. We students represent the future of the Coastal Bend, and deserve to ask questions and hear from these that want to serve us in government. This is no way to get more young people involved in the electoral process."
Since Hunter has decided to avoid these students, Rep. Garcia has decided to discuss his "Service for Tuition" plan, the future of the University, lowering windstorm insurance rates, ending the revolving door between the legislature and lobbyists, and working towards more transparency in our state government. |
