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Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand canceled a debate on Sunday hosted by Spectrum News NY1 because of an ongoing labor dispute involving the parent company, Charter Communications.
Gillibrand was scheduled to face off against Republican rival Chele Farley at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs.
NY1 and other Spectrum stations upstate planned to televise the showdown.
Gillibrand said in a statement late Friday that she is siding with striking members of Local 3 of the International Brotherhood of Electric Workers in their battle against Charter.
“I believe deeply that an open public debate is essential to democracy. That is why months ago I agreed to a statewide debate with Spectrum News/NY1 before the upcoming election,” Gillibrand said.
“However, I am also deeply committed to the working men and women of the labor community and support the 1,800 members of IBEW who went on strike for fair pay and benefits and I will not cross a de facto picket line scheduled for Sunday. That is why I will withdraw from participating in the Spectrum News/NY1 debate this Sunday unless the workers’ strike of Charter has been resolved.”
Gillibrand said if there is a labor accord is not reached, she is ready to conduct the debate “with a different media partner or will explore another date and venue to conduct a debate before the election.”
Farley slammed Gillibrand for copping out.
“Gillibrand’s refusal to debate & explain her lack of accomplishments during her 12 years in office to the 19 million-plus New Yorkers she’s abandoned during her quest to run for President is unacceptable,” Farley said.
Gillibrand, who holds a double digit lead in the polls, has been stumping across the country for other Democratic candidates and is said to be considering a run for the White House in 2020.
Other New York pols are also boycotting NY1 and other Spectrum stations, including Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio.
A NY1 spokeperson said, “For more than 25 years, NY1 has been serving the citizens of New York with thorough and objective hyper-local news coverage. This focus has made NY1 a critical part of the political process, allowing politicians and candidates the ability to espouse their views, providing a forum for healthy debate and acting as a check on the halls of power.
The announcement today by Senator Gillibrand accomplishes nothing except to deprive her constituents of the ability to better understand how their state works and create a smokescreen to avoid answering difficult questions about real issues such as the upstate economy and healthcare.
“It is a shame to see NY1 used as a political prop at a time when there are fewer and fewer objective local news outlets. New Yorkers have a right to hear her views and debates are critical events that inform voters ahead of elections. We hope that she will reconsider her stance and provide us with another date in the near future.”
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