Wasserman Schultz “schedules” a 15-minute debate

Last week, Debbie Wasserman Schultz told Sun Sentinel Editor, Rosemary O’Hara, that she was in debate discussions with me. That statement was a complete fabrication. In fact, Wasserman Schultz and no one from her campaign has ever responded to the debate challenge that I made back in April.

Days ago, I tried again in an open letter and by email to Wasserman Schultz and her staff to suggest a series of two-hour debates. Again, I never received any reply. Instead, Jim Defede of WFOR CBS 4 Local News sent an invitation to both candidates to debate on his Sunday morning 8:30am talk show, Facing South Florida. At 4pm, my campaign learned that Wasserman Schultz said she “scheduled” a debate.

After four months of dodging debates and running scared, Wasserman Schultz now wants to schedule a 15 minute debate? If she believes one 15 minute debate is sufficient to defend her record, it shows she’s learned nothing from her failures in scheduling debates at the DNC before her shameful resignation. In April, I proposed a series of real debates, and that’s still my hope, that the voters will get the benefit of hearing us discuss the issues in more than one debate of at least two-hours each to cover a wide range of issues of importance to all of us.

When I first heard this news, I thought it was a joke. But actually it’s quite a disgrace and shows the arrogance of Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and once again her contempt for democracy. The people of South Florida deserve better than a representative showing up for 15 minutes to defend her record.

Perhaps 15 minutes would be sufficient for Wasserman Schultz since she has such a meager record of legislative work. Last year she had the highest absentee rate of all members of Florida’s Democratic congressional delegation. The voters of my district deserve better than a mere 15 minutes of discussion on the issues. We are all left wondering whether Debbie Wasserman Schultz even believes in democracy.