Yesterday, the second and final debate was held between County Executive Chris Collins and Comptroller Mark Poloncarz. It was held at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Academy at 8:30 am, a great educational opportunity for that school and its AP Government class, but a
horrible opportunity for average voters to get a second opportunity to vet the two candidates for county executive. The debate wasn’t just held at a time of day when most people are at work on en route, it wasn’t aired on radio or television. Your only opportunity to see it was to watch a poor quality live stream at Channel 4’s website, or inaudible audio at the Buffalo News’ site. Here’s Channel 4’s report. Here’s the Buffalo News report. I have to hand it to the students, they asked some great and relevant questions.
Unfortunately, nary a voter will ever see it.
However, one interesting thing occurred. The Poloncarz and Collins campaigns were specifically ordered not to film the debate in any way. The school didn’t want this educational event sullied by politics (i.e., didn’t want the campaigns to use video from the event for campaign purposes). Indeed, when I inquired of debate organizer Ted Lina, he did not issue a denial, but sent along this:
We sought to provide an educational experience for our students with this morning’s debate. We do not wish to involve them or St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in the politics of the debate itself. We have no further comment at this time.
I had inquired about reports I was hearing that, despite the school’s prohibition against videotaping the debate, the Collins campaign blatantly refused to abide by this simple request. Poloncarz’s camp did not record it, but here’s a picture of Collins’ press guy, Stefan Mychajliw, videotaping after being asked repeatedly to stop – and refusing.
What is it about Chris Collins that makes him above the law? What is it about Chris Collins that he and his people can disobey the reasonable request of a Catholic high school that’s hosting a debate? It’s a sense of entitlement that lets Collins think it’s ok to park his car in a handicapped spot, or in a no parking zone.
Apparently, rules are for other people.
The Buffalo Record 
Some of the best leaders in WNY come from St Joes and these students are asking the right questions in what is a local election. Collins again has no respect for anyone when: Stefan the ignorant films against requests, believes that visiting with the voters is a meeting with the Rotary Club, when Collins believes that the lives of troubled prisoners in his care commit suicide to no avail (no new deputies, no new rules and ignore the Corrections in NY and Dept of Justice); and self-made is over the strwn bodies of former employees at the County and in industries.
Wolfpack,
Go Collins.
Sometimes the entire community is better off with the lesser of two evils.
I don’t recall the class at St. Joe’s where they told us to vote for something evil.
@Jim Ostrowski – I must of missed that class as well
There are many occasions in life where one faces two and only two unsatisfactory choices. But voting is NEVER one of them. There is no obligation to vote for own of the two major candidates. You can vote for a write-in or not vote at all. If you vote for evil, you are in some small way endorsing evil and your vote will be interpreted as such.
In my experience with local politics and community work I’ve been in a couple situations where a “hostile videotaper” showed up — someone who was sent to videotape a meeting or event with intent to intimidate participants or try to instigate an incident. What’s very effective is for someone to simply stand in front of the camera or hold something in front of the lens — and then move when the cameraperson does until they give up or become hostile or confrontational (at which point they’re more likely to be asked to leave). But someone has to be ready and willing to do that — it helps to anticipate those kinds of “dirty tricks.”