Lawless: Incumbent ducked debate

Congressional candidate Jennifer Lawless yesterday accused U.S. Rep. James R. Langevin of "ducking a debate" that would have been taped today at Channel 12 (WPRI).

But Langevin's campaign said the congressman wasn't ducking anything; he was back at work in Washington, D.C., because Congress was in session.

Langevin is facing a challenge from Lawless in Tuesday's Democratic primary in the 2nd Congressional District.

Lawless issued a news release saying, "Unlike Jim Langevin, I'm not afraid to let anyone know what I believe and what my priorities are for Rhode Island. He can duck debates and send lawn mowers to my press conferences all he wants, but the truth will still come out."

Langevin's campaign spokeswoman, Joy Fox, said the campaign set a debate schedule awhile ago and stuck to it by debating Lawless on Rhode Island PBS TV and onChannel 10 (WJAR).

"Unfortunately, Channel 12 waited until it was too late," Fox said. "We are not ducking debates. I can only assume that [Lawless] is not pleased with her prior debate performances, so that is why she is trying to call another debate at the eleventh hour, which we never agreed to."

Also, Fox has said Langevin had nothing to do with a lawn mower, dump truck and leaf blower that ran throughout a news conference that Lawless held outside Langevin's campaign headquarters last week.

Lawless' campaign manager, Adam Deitch, said Lawless had agreed to take part in the Channel 12 event, which was to be taped today and aired Sunday, and he said Lawless would "debate the congressman at any time, at any place."

Channel 12 news director Joe Abouzeid said Langevin and Lawless were asked to make a joint appearance on the Newsmakers program. "It was not a formal debate," he said. "We take our debates very seriously, with more advanced planning." The joint appearance didn't work out because Langevin will be in Washington today, he said.

Also yesterday, Lawless announced that her campaign raised $53,087, while Langevin raised $22,700, between July 1 and Aug. 23.

Lawless said, "Rhode Islanders are sick and tired of James Langevin's go-along-to-get-along mentality, and they're investing in change."

But Federal Election Commission reports show that, in total, Langevin has raised more than twice as much as Lawless. Langevin has raised a total of $684,795, compared with Lawless' $317,320. And he has spent $464,878, compared with Lawless' $279,634.

Fox said, "We are right on target, and we are very comfortable with our fundraising numbers."

This article, written by Ed Fitzpatrick, appeared on September 7, 2006 in the Providence Journal.