PCCC, Democracy For America, Sunrise NY Call On Sean Patrick Maloney to Debate Alessandra Biaggi, Citing ‘Terrible Precedent’ Set by DCCC Chair.
“You owe New York voters transparency and honesty about your record, and should be willing to defend it in an open debate with your opponent”.
Yesterday, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Democracy for America, and Sunrise Movement New York sent a letter to Representative Sean Patrick Maloney calling on him to participate in a debate with his primary opponent, State Senator Alessandra Biaggi.
In the letter, the organizations stress the terrible example Maloney sets as Chair of the DCCC by not appearing at recent candidate forums or participating in a media-hosted debate. The letter comes after a video surfaced of Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney bragging about voting repeatedly to weaken the Affordable Care Act and President Obama's agenda.
“As a candidate seeking to represent NY-17, you owe New York voters transparency and honesty about your record, and should be willing to defend it in an open debate with your opponent,” the organizations wrote. “Furthermore, as the chair of House Democrats’ reelection arm, your continued rejection of public forums and debates with your opponent sets a terrible precedent that candidates don’t need to speak with voters or engage with their opponents.”
The PCCC endorsed Alessandra Biaggi in June 2022 and has recruited volunteers and local endorsements from its over 30,000 New York members.
The full letter sent to Rep. Maloney can be read below:
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August 18, 2022
Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney
Congressional candidate, NY -17
Via Email
Dear Sean Patrick Maloney –
Transparency, honesty and open debate are bedrock principles of our American democracy and should be expected from any candidate seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination, including those seeking to represent New York’s 17th Congressional district. Therefore, as organizations committed to these democratic principles and to helping Democrats win in NY-17 in November, we call on you to immediately make yourself available for a public debate hosted by the media.
As the Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, you understand the duty candidates have to participate in a free and open exchange of ideas with their opponents via public debate. That’s why we were dismayed to learn recently that you have avoided public forums and debates with your opponent, Alessandra Biaggi, despite repeated requests for engagement.
In recent weeks, for example, we learned that you canceled a public appearance at the Ossining NAACP forum, a critical forum to engage voters in NY-17 on the issues faced by the Black community. On August 9th, you refused to attend a forum hosted by local Indivisible chapters. And on August 12th, you declined to attend the CD-17 Environmental Forum, fully knowing the serious threat that climate change poses to the district and the planet.
These skipped public events come on top of your repeated unwillingness to engage your opponent in a media-hosted debate. In August, Spectrum News NY1 attempted to host a public, televised debate, but were unable to meet your specific demands around its location. Additionally in August, a local newspaper offered to hold a debate in their offices, but you declined to participate.
As some have pointed out, perhaps you have declined to participate in an open exchange with your opponent for fear of your record being held accountable in front of a live audience. Voters have learned that you have taken more than $4 million from Wall Street donors and voted to water-down protections in Dodd-Frank. Additionally, a tape was recently discovered where you were heard bragging about voting against the Affordable Care Act “more than anyone” in the Democratic Party.
As a candidate seeking to represent NY-17, you owe New York voters transparency and honesty about your record, and should be willing to defend it in an open debate with your opponent. Furthermore, as the chair of House Democrats’ reelection arm, your continued rejection of public forums and debates with your opponent sets a terrible precedent that candidates don’t need to speak with voters or engage with their opponents.
We call on you now to reverse course. We urge you to stop misrepresenting your record to the voters of NY-17, stop hiding from public events designed to provide voters with transparency, and engage in an open public debate with your opponent so voters can know the truth and make an informed decision in this election.
Out of respect for our democracy, for your role within the Democratic Party, and for the voters of NY-17, we call on you to immediately agree to a public debate with your opponent.
Sincerely,
Progressive Change Campaign Committee
Democracy for America
Sunrise Movement New York
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