VIDEO: Ehrlich Walks Out, Rep. Young No Show
Democratic Candidate for U.S. House District 13 Jessica Ehrlich spoke to voters and addressed the absence of her opponent Rep. C.W. Bill Young by walking out of a forum.
OUTSIDE ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Pinellas County residents were left with unanswered questions when Jessica Ehrlich, the Democratic opponent for U.S. House District 13, walked off stage at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom Thursday night.
Rep. C.W. Bill Young was absent from the Meet the Candidates Forum, but did have a representative. His son, Billy Young, stood in his place. The Gulfport Democratic Club and St. Petersburg Republican Club allowed all candidates and representatives to speak at this year's debate; a first for forum organizers in Gulfport.
Billy Young stated his father could not make it due to scheduled events in Washington D.C., including a briefing with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Young also provided printed flyers of the representatives's schedule to audience members.
Watch our video to see Ehrlich respectfully remove herself from the forum in response to Rep. Young's absence.
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Update: 1:30 p.m. Gulfport Patch has left a message with Rep. C. W. Bill Young's campaign and will follow up if our call is returned.
Update: 2:20 p.m.: Rep. C. W. Bill Young's campaign has returned our call and may provide Gulfport Patch with a statement.
Dan Favero
11:21 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
I agree - why should she debate a stand-in? Does Bill Young have an excuse for every day till the election? This Congress has done nothing, don't tell me he's suddenly busy.
Robert Thompson
11:54 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
Where was Rep Young?
Judith
3:42 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Absolutely! Furthermore, Rep. Young was taking an enormous chance sending a stand-in - what if the son said something that daddy would have had to scramble to correct?
Gary Tarbox
4:22 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Why does he have to debate her at all?
Richard Krenzer
12:28 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Well she is just follower her commander and chief as he hardly attends any of his meetings either. She will get word of the meeting by way of documents and will later respond....What a bunch of Joker's....
trusgold
1:05 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
She seems pretty independent to me, she is willing to go and debate the incumbant with just her ideas and what she things. Why would a Congressman not show for debates!
Michael D.
1:36 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Richard, you statement doesn't make sense being the sitting incumbant decided not to show up at all. So is Rep. Young also following his commander and chief? She showed up and then left after her opponent decided for at least the second time not to show up for a scheduled debate.
Dawn2485
11:49 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Yeah, he's too chicken to show up but she's the joker? Nice try.
No wonder your party is losing. Its populated with losers.
trusgold
12:56 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Apparently the Congressman is far to good to debate an opponent. Don't you think the people of that district have right to see their Congressman in a debate with his opponent. He doesn't own that district.
Butch Trembly
2:36 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Evidently he does as he keeps getting re-elected and probably will again.
Lynda
1:46 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
It is definitely a GOP trend. "Connie" Mack was too arrogant to debate a fellow Republican in the primary. Don't show up, Don't tell voters what your plans are because if they knew what you will do when elected, you wouldn't get their votes. Poor Rep Young. If he only could recognize that it is better to retire with your honor and reputation intact than to stay beyond your expiration date until you are an object of the voters' pity. Very sad last campaign for a man who served well for 40+ years. very, very sad.
Dadhot
2:07 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
The scariest part is Young is sending his son. Is he trying to start another dynasty, a la the Connie Macks?????? What arrogance!
Chely Hernández-Miller
2:33 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Why not take the reason of the Congressman´s absence at face value? Not every politician lies......Congressional schedules can be checked and confirmed. I really like Billy Young´s comment: ¨I feel like Clint Eastwood¨!
Michael D.
3:33 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Then why agree to two different debates to have a scheduling conflict. The first time ok, second time. He hasn't shown up for a debate I believe since 1992.
S. Ripley
4:03 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Perhaps this has already been asked before- but did he even agree to attend in the first place?
Cherlene Willis
4:23 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
S. Ripley,
When I checked with organizers with the St. Petersburg Republican Club on Tuesday before the debate, Gail Hebert said she had not heard back from his office. A member of his campaign contacted me on Tuesday and then again on Wednesday to let me know that Rep. C. W. Bill Young was unable to attend. It wasn't until Thursday night, when Billy Young came out, that organizers found out there would be a representative for the congressman. Hope this answers your question.- Cherlene
Gary May
6:32 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Don't worry He is to popular. Been around a long time and will cotinue to be around a long time. Good guy and has done well for this area.
Gary May
Joshua Streeter
7:06 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Then he should have nothing to be afraid of in a debate. Why not just show up to ONE? Just one.
Lynda
9:22 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Rep Young has done his job for his district for 40+ years! Yes, he is a good guy, very charitable and kind to his family, but he can't physically do the job if he is unwilling to travel back to the district from his home in Washington, DC.and unwilling to face the voters' questions. Please before you and others vote one more time for him because you voted for him in the 70's. 80's, 90's and 2000's, consider whether he is still doing the job. He is one of 435 people who have considerable power over the laws affecting our lives. He needs to be able to understand and do the job. Him, not his son, not his staff, not the GOP leadership.
rick barasso
7:21 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
He was probably out tellig people to go get a job.That is his parties approch to economic crisis
Zak Ali
8:49 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
The man has one foot in his grave why keep electing him.and who would want to listen to his son who is a high school dropout.
Dan Favero
9:04 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
He's in Washington trying to fool people he's not a warhawk any more, A convenient change of heart less then 2 months before the election.
Young said the other day that we need to get out of Afghanistan NOW because "I just think we're killing kids that don't need to die". Of course now we are "killing kids" because Obama is President but he had no problem "killing kids" in the thousands by sending them to bush's hussein fetish war & he has always been a hawk with no problem "killing kids" by sending them to other wars. Seems like Young is conveniently waking up much too late.
Swiffer Wet Jet
1:06 am on Saturday, September 22, 2012
Has anyone not noticed that Jessica Ehrlich is HOT? If you're single, I could really use the Congressional benefits package. CALL ME!
Lynda
10:24 am on Saturday, September 22, 2012
Please provide more detailed information about why a "hot", intelligent person should/would even consider sharing her Congressional benefits package with you. Your long list of comments is a big obstacle to overcome so the details better be really good. Sort of like the GOP Medicare/Medicaid plan(s) . . .
Philip Penrose
10:35 am on Saturday, September 22, 2012
Oh Swiffer, Siffer, Swiffer...you just lost all credibility with that statement.
Admit that you "misspoke" like a good politician would do and surely you will be once again let back into the debate loop.
;)
Swiffer Wet Jet
3:15 pm on Monday, September 24, 2012
Awww, c'mon Phil..... I lost no more credibility with that comment than you did by inadvertently calling me "Siffer" :) Now admit that "W" key is sticking again on your keyboard and we'll make all nicey-nice. And Lynda, jeeez...... stop getting your panties in a wad, oh so serious lately, arent we? Lots of "size" references in your last comment. Trying to tell the guys something? :-X I'd tell you the details but I'm afraid I'd come up short :)
Torrey Craig
12:21 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
When was the last time Congressman Young stood before his constituents and publicly presented his positions on various topics least of all debated an opponent?
miguel
2:24 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Two weeks prior to this event in Gulfport. Rep. Young also failed to attend a forum in his own building put on by the League of women voters. literally next door to his office! And yes Jessica Erlich was there.
Dan Favero
4:29 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Poor U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young. Looks like the aging process has definitely caught up to him.
* “He claimed there was a break-in at his condo just a few months ago. Actually the break-in he was talking about happened in 2010. When he admitted he was wrong he said “That timeline was a little bit confusing,".
* He claims there was another break-in in July this year. “However, Indian Shores police say they haven't seen signs of any break-ins at Young's condominium this year.”
* He claims “..my wife and I have been stalked in Washington and here in Florida.” His only example of stalking is “he and his wife had been photographed by someone in the parking lot of a drugstore in Virginia.” Gee, he’s been in Congress since 1970 - does he really think that no one takes pictures of politicians?
* Regarding his claim of stalking, he said that he and his wife got the car's license plate number and turned it over to the Capitol Hill police. However, “A Capitol Hill police spokeswoman said they had no active cases involving Young.”
Some people have a problem realizing when it is time to retire. His actions above clearly show he is well past the time to retire. Either that or he is looking for the sympathy vote. The bottom line is how can anyone want this man to help decide the future of the USA.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/us-rep-bill-young-says-hes-the-victim-of-burglaries-police-disagree/1253210
Soisay
1:44 am on Thursday, September 27, 2012
According to the Fed Elec Comm (FEC), candidate debates must include at least 2 candidates and may not be structured to advance one candidate over the other. It may have been illegal for her to stay at a "debate", as opposed to a political "appearance" or whatever, if Big-Bucks Young wasn't there.
(Pg 48) http://www.fec.gov/pdf/candgui.pdf
Patty
4:10 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2012
Why was my comment rejected?
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