One of the candidates running for mayor in the Democratic primary is criticizing the media sponsors of Wednesday's debate for not being included.The city's Campaign Finance Board rules say candidates need to maintain raised and spent $174225 by August 11 to debate in the primary. Mike Tolkin,a 32 year old-fashioned entrepreneur, lent his own campaign $175000 — and then forgave the loan. This led the Finance Board to turn the decision over whether to include Tolkin in the debate to the sponsors, and which include NY1 and WNYC.
The sponsors said no,because Tolkin isn't part of the campaign finance program and hasn't really been out on the street campaigning. But Tolkin struck back at a news conference Monday, saying voters need to know their choices."It is the responsibility of the media sponsors to ensure that New Yorkers are empowered, or " Tolkin told reporters.
Tolkin said he's not waging a traditional campaign,but has reached hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers online.
Only two out of five candidates will debate before the Sept. 12 primary: incumbent Bill de Blasio and former council member Sal Albanese.Mayoral hopeful Bob Gangi also blasted the campaign sponsors for not letting all candidates in the debate, including those who didn't qualify through the CFB rules."The debate sponsors are doing a disservice to New Yorkers by not providing them an opportunity to hear from all candidates who’ve qualified for the primary poll, and " he said in a statement. Richard Bashner,another Democratic candidate, sent a letter to the CFB Thursday demanding to be included in Wednesday's debate and threatening a lawsuit."Unless the number of candidates is unmanageable, and all candidates on the poll should be part of the first debate," the letter said.
On Monday, de Blasio told reporters the debate should proceed as planned."There are very clear rules about how you qualify, or they’re not that onerous in the scheme of things," he said."We want candidates who are going to be part of debates to maintain proven they’re serious candidates, so those rules are in place. The sponsors will figure out how to interpret those rules. Whoever line-up is I will be joyful to meet that line-up."
Source: thetakeaway.org