Van Hollen is Avoiding Open Debates Because He Does Not Want The Truth About His Funding and Stances Exposed

Baltimore, MD - The outpouring of public support for open debates after ​Margaret Flowers, Maryland Green candidate for the U.S. Senate, interrupted the manipulated two-candidate debate yesterday shows the public is hungry for open debates, new voices and an open dialogue about solutions.

Flowers for Senate
http://www.flowersforsenate.org

For Immediate Release
October 27, 2016

Contact:
Dr. Margaret Flowers [email protected] 410-591-0892

Tonight, October 27, Dr. Flowers will respond to the questions from yesterday's debate on Facebook Live at The Real News. ​The event can be viewed on the Facebook page of The Real News and Margaret Flowers for Senate at 7 PM Eastern. Viewers are encouraged to send their questions and comments on the Facebook live pages.

The response to Dr. Flowers' stand for democracy has been overwhelming. She not only had major press coverage in Baltimore but nationally and internationally. On social media there has been wide public support for open debates with video of her dignified stand for democracy getting hundreds of thousands of views within 24 hours.

This 2016 Maryland Senate debate will be remembered for Dr. Flowers risking arrest to expose the sham debate that excluded a legitimate candidate. There was public anger expressed at the League of Women Voters, the Baltimore Sun and WJZ TV as well as the University of Baltimore. This is one more example of the democracy crisis in the United States.

At the debate, both Szeliga and Van Hollen said they would debate Dr. Flowers on television, but only Szeliga has agreed to participate in a televised statewide debate. Both Szeliga and Flowers have been advocating throughout the year for a series of senate debates across the state. Maryland Public Broadcasting was prevented from hosting a debate when Van Hollen refused to participate.

Sinclair Broadcasting has offered to host a debate, so far Van Hollen has refused. Van Hollen avoided another three-way debate when he did not attend the League of Women Voters forum on the Eastern Shore on October 19.

"Chris Van Hollen knows that if I am included in the debate his phony politics will be exposed. I will tell voters that Van Hollen has raised millions of campaign donations from wealthy lobbyists and industries such as natural gas, telecoms and weapons makers as well as how the policies he urges favor Wall Street investors and war. He is avoiding vigorous open debates because he has the funds to buy advertising and not risk being exposed," said Margaret Flowers.

"There are critical differences between my positions and Chris Van Hollen's that are not being heard. The fact that Chris Van Hollen opposes multiple open debates demonstrates his lack of commitment to democracy and fear people will know what he really stands for and who he will serve if he becomes Maryland's senator," concluded Dr. Flowers.

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