Cosgrove Ducks Debate

Two of the candidates for first selectmen attended a debate last night. They discussed economic development, transparency in government, education and proposed public buildings.

The third candidate, the current first selectman, spent the evening at a banquet in Westbrook.

Mark Rabinowitz, the Democratic candidate, and Jacey Wyatt, the Independent candidate, attended the debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the East Shore (LWVES) at BCTV studios. Republican Jamie Cosgrove, the incumbent first selectman, who is running for reelection, did not participate on the advice of his campaign advisers. 

Carol Reimers, the president of the LWVES, introduced the candidates present at the table, Rabinowitz and Wyatt. ​“James Cosgrove, the Republican candidate was invited and declined to participate in this debate,” she told the viewing audience. Reimers said the purpose of the debate was to educate citizens about their government. 

After the debate the Eagle asked Rabinowitz and Wyatt for their comments on Cosgrove’s absence. They said the first selectman’s lack of participation was shameful and showed disrespect to the League of Women Voters and to the residents of the town.

“We are disappointed First Selectman Cosgrove did not participate,” said Rabinowitz. ​“It is disrespectful to the other candidates, the League of Women Voters, and the residents of Branford. Debates like this are vital to the election process, and Mr. Cosgrove’s unwillingness to participate is shameful. Our campaign is for the people and by the people, and Jack and I have been working very hard to connect with the people of Branford.”

Wyatt said, ​“There is no excuse or explanation that Jamie Cosgrove can give” for not showing up. ​“I have been in all the communications among the League of Woman Voters and the other parties to do the debate, and they clearly would move, pick or change anything to make it fair to all three of us and they did. I for example, moved my previous appointments and schedule to be there tonight,” she said after the debate.

Cosgrove’s actions, she said, showed a lack of respect for the process. ​“He just simply didn’t respect the process of many people: the League of Woman Voters organization, me and Mark. It was a decision made in bad taste.” She added, ​“It was clearly shown tonight that Jamie made a mistake to not do all he had to do to show up, change the date, and do whatever is necessary to be part of the town process and to do the right thing.”

Cosgrove Heads For Gala Event

The Eagle asked Cosgrove on Wednesday why he was not planning to attend the League’s debate

“I’m going to the Beacon Awards,” he said.

The Shoreline Publishing’s Beacon Awards, billed as a gala, were held Thursday night at the Water’s Edge Resort and Spa in Westbrook. Four Branford residents, including the Eagle’s sports writer, Bill O’Brien, were among 15 people being honored for their volunteerism.

When asked why he chose to attend the banquet instead of the debate, Cosgrove said that volunteerism is very important to him and he wanted to be part of the celebration. He said he will attend a selectman’s debate sponsored by the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce on Oct.22.

The Eagle asked if he was concerned what kind of message it sends when a first selectman attends a banquet instead of a debate. ​“There will be a debate for the selectman’s office,” he said, referring to the upcoming one sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. ​“I’m proud of the message I send every day. I don’t think there are any issues I haven’t discussed,” at meetings or with reporters, he said.

Cosgrove said he never indicated he would attend the League’s debate. ​“I didn’t back out of the debate. I have a commitment to go to the Beacon Awards,” he said.

The announcement of his decision not to participate in the debate came from Ray Ingraham, the chair of the Republican Party. In an email Ingraham said ​“the campaign” had made the decision that neither Cosgrove nor Selectman Joe Higgins, Jr., would participate. The date or the time of the debate could have been changed but Ingraham wrote they would not be participating. 

The Back Story 

Walter Mann, the BCTV station manager, said the first time he realized there might be an attendance problem was when Elise Low, a representative of the LWV and the organizer of the debate, informed him that Cosgrove had not responded to her debate request for Oct. 7. 

So Mann reached out to Ingraham through his Facebook page because he was the contact person. Mann sent him three Facebook messages, which is how Ingraham communicated with Mann previously.

On Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 4:36 a.m., Ingraham sent an email to Mann, stating that ​“the campaign has decided that Jamie and Joe will not (be) participating in these debates.” The Ingraham email was circulated among a number of people in both political parties; the Eagle obtained a copy. ​“Joe” refers to Joseph Higgins, Jr., the current Republican selectman.

The following day Mann said he called Cosgrove to confirm that ​“this was his position.” Cosgrove told Mann it was. Cosgrove also added that he will participate in the Chamber of Commerce debate.

“At that point,” Mann said, ​“I had reservations about going forward with the debate when we were not going to have all three candidates. BCTV decided it was best to pull out as a debate co-presenter and let the LWV handle it going forward. Of course, as with everyone who utilizes the BCTV studio, we will provide technical support to the LWV.”

In his one-sentence response, Ingraham refers to ​“debates,” using the plural. While the format was not firm, what was discussed was a debate among the three first selectman candidates; and then a debate between the candidates running for selectmen, incumbent Higgins and Democratic candidate Jack Ahern, the town’s former fire chief.

According to Chris Sullivan, the chair of the Democratic Party, Higgins and Ahern were supposed to debate each other.

“This was to be the only opportunity for Republican Joe Higgins and Democrat Jack Ahern to square off on the issues facing Branford. How will the voters know what Mr. Higgins thinks is important for our town?” Sullivan asked in a letter to the Sound newspaper. ​“His stances have been difficult to determine from the frequently cancelled Board of Selectmen meetings. Why would the Republicans want to shelter their candidate for second selectman from the public? Why doesn’t Mr. Cosgrove want to participate? With all his claims of success, one would think he would take every opportunity to speak to the public; instead there will be empty chairs at the Republican podium.”

Prior BCTV Debates

The most recent League of Women Voters selectmen debate in Branford took place in 2011, when Republican Joy McConnell ran for first selectwoman and Cosgrove ran for selectman. The 2011 LWV debate brought McConnell, Cosgrove, Unk DaRos and Andy Campbell to the BCTV studios. DaRos won for first selectman, Campbell for second and Cosgrove for third selectman that year.

There was no League debate for first selectman in 2013 because League officials had scheduling problems. And there was no LWV debate in 2014 because Republican state representative candidate Paul Cianci declined to participate against State Rep. Lonnie Reed.

Mann said the League of Women Voters has been a traditional and time-honored resource for debates in Branford and other nearby towns, including Guilford and North Haven.

History of LWV

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization of men and women that encourages participation in government, and endeavors to increase understanding of public policy issues through education and advocacy. The East Shore division includes Branford, North Branford, Guilford and Madison.

Leagues of Women Voters nationwide have been holding election debates since the organization was founded in 1920. Debates in Branford each year have typically included one sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the East Shore and one sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. We will have a story on the debate soon.
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