Hartzler: Ike's dodging me

In her latest news release, Republican Fourth District Congressional candidate Vicky Hartzler accuses incumbent Democrat Ike Skelton of dodging her and avoiding joint appearances:

Voters of the 4th Congressional District are being denied their right to hear from all the individuals who are vying to represent them in Washington. Vicky Hartzler wants to meet with the voters. Sadly, 17-term incumbent Ike Skelton does not. He has refused to participate in any public forum and is avoiding the voters at all costs.

"Perhaps he doesn’t want to have to answer for his 95 percent voting record with Nancy Pelosi. How can you justify taking our vote and casting it four times to make her Speaker of the House?" Hartzler stated. "He obviously doesn’t want to answer questions about why he voted "Yes" every step of the way for the reckless, anti-jobs spending and tax policies of Barack Obama or to discuss how to get America back to work. Could it be that as a politician who has been on the public dole since 1957, he doesn’t know how to create jobs? It’s too bad voters won’t have the opportunity to discuss these important issues with all of us. They deserve better."

Republican nominee Vicky Hartzler has made getting voter input a priority in her campaign by reserving time for candidate forums under media and community organization sponsorship. She has invited Ike Skelton to meet the voters with her. As Ike Skelton did in August, 2009, when he wouldn't face people on ObamaCare, the Democrat incumbent won't show.

A joint effort by Bott Radio Network and the Jefferson City News Tribune to schedule a forum in the Capital City has been scrapped because of what Bott claims is Ike Skelton's refusal to appear with Vicky Hartzler, who has made it clear from the outset that she believes a candidate's most basic duty is to meet with people, listen, state their positions, and answer questions.

"It's disappointing that Ike Skelton wants to turn a cold shoulder to the people whose hard-earned dollars pay his Washington salary," said Hartzler. "This event has been cancelled for one reason and one reason only - Ike Skelton refuses to appear on stage with me. People certainly will assume that the congressman does not want to explain why he has squandered the vote of this conservative and independent-minded district by casting it for Nancy Pelosi’s agenda.  He must be held accountable for his votes in favor of cap-and-tax, cash for clunkers, and reckless spending."

A representative of Bott informed the Hartzler campaign late yesterday that it and the newspaper had dropped plans to sponsor the forum when they were told by the Skelton campaign that the longtime congressman would not show up to take part. A forum is scheduled for October 15th in El Dorado Springs. Vicky Hartzler has confirmed she will attend the forum - without or without Congressman Skelton. She believes it is in the best interests of the 4th District for the congressman to make an appearance.