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June 18, 2010--Ivy, VA--Five days after his statement appeared in print that he would "absolutely" be willing to appear in debates with both Tom Perriello and independent candidate Jeff Clark, Sen. Robert Hurt is changing his story. He is now refusing to debate with the independent candidate.

The Lynchburg News and Advance story from last evening included the headline “Perriello, Hurt support three-way debates with independent.” [Lynchburg News and Advance, 6/17/10]

"This is pitiful. Virginians hate career politicians who say one thing and do another. Sen. Hurt should stay true to his word and debate Mr. Perriello and Mr. Clark. Sen. Hurt could not get the majority support of his own party and now wants to silence independent voices that reflect many in this district, including many views of the Tea Party," said Lise Clavel, campaign manager for the Perriello campaign. "Tom Perriello faced hundreds of Tea Party constituents during his 21 town hall meetings last summer. If Sen. Hurt wants this job so badly, why is he afraid to face just one?"

The original story about Hurt’s willingness to debate appeared on Sunday and no correction has been printed in the Charlottesville newspaper.

Background: 

Robert Hurt said that he welcomes independent candidate Jeffrey Clark to the race and that he would "absolutely" be willing to appear at debates with both Clark and Perriello. (Daily Progress, 6/12/10)

June 16, 2010--Ivy, VA--Tom Perriello has personally called both Sen. Robert Hurt and certified independent candidate Jeff Clark to welcome them to the 5th district race. He also expressed his strong agreement with Sen. Hurt's recent statement that he would "absolutely" appear at debates with the independent candidate.

"If there's one thing I've learned from my first 18 months in Congress, it's that there are a whole lot of opinions across our district." said Perriello. "Some of these viewpoints are represented by Sen. Hurt and some by Mr. Clark, and I look forward to a substantive, honest campaign that brings these discussions more clearly into the public arena. I strongly agree with Sen. Hurt that Mr. Clark should be included in public debates and I look forward to a spirited discussion with both of them."

Background:
Robert Hurt said that he welcomes independent candidate Jeffrey Clark to the race and that he would "absolutely" be willing to appear at debates with both Clark and Perriello. (Daily Progress, 6/12/10)
 

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What: Telephone Town Hall Meeting with Rep. Perriello & U.S. Secretary of Agriculture discussing issues of importance to rural communities
When: Thursday, June 17, from 6:50 pm -7:50 pm

Washington, DC—Congressman Tom Perriello will hold a telephone town hall meeting with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on Thursday evening, June 17 to address issues of importance to rural communities. To join the call, participants can dial a toll-free number (see above). The call is free and participants may dial in at any time to listen, ask questions, or share concerns with Rep. Perriello and Sec. Vilsack.

During the telephone town hall meeting, Rep. Perriello and Sec. Vilsack plan to address a wide range of issues including economic development in rural areas, the benefits of health care reform for rural communities, and promotion of the agriculture and forestry industries. Agriculture and forestry remain Virginia’s top industries, contributing over $79 billion annually to Virginia’s economy, as well as over 10% of its jobs.