To the editor:

The League of Women Voters (LOWV) letter criticizing the Republicans for not participating in their forums was incorrect and disingenuous. 

The Republicans did participate in the LOWV forum for Senate District 11 on Oct. 13 in Bristol. At that forum, all involved were ambushed by a dirty trick played by the Democrats. During the candidate introductions, Mr. Andrew Kelly, a registered Democrat running as an independent, resigned his candidacy on camera. 

Mr. Kelly may have duped the LOWV into allowing him to speak, but it is what happened after Mr. Kelly’s announcement that really counts. Rather than immediately thanking Mr. Kelly for coming and dismissing him from the forum as a non-candidate, the LOWV moderator allowed Mr. Kelly to continue to speak without interruption. Mr. Kelly used this time to extol the virtues of the Democratic candidate and then endorsed her on air. That the LOWV allowed this to happen at their forum was completely inappropriate and very unprofessional. 

This behavior is especially troublesome for an organization which, in their own public letter, claims that “For over 100 years, the LOWV has been considered a fair, nonpartisan arbiter of political matters, and an impartial sponsor of candidate forums and debates.”

The unprofessionalism shown on Oct. 13 has now been compounded by the LOWV writing a public partisan letter criticizing the Republicans for not participating in their Oct 27 forum. It incorrectly stated the Republicans had not participated in any LOWV forums. It ignored what had happened on Oct. 13 and did not criticize the Democrats for it.

I have no knowledge of why Republicans did not show up at the Oct. 27 LOWV forum. Perhaps it was because they realized the League had shown their true partisan leanings and could not be trusted. 

I am an Independent voter (unaffiliated according to Rhode Island) and have for decades voted for whoever is the best candidate regardless of party. Viewing candidate forums is an important part of my decision process. However, having seen how the LOWV handled the Oct. 13 forum, I will not watch future LOWV forums. We can only hope a true non-partisan group steps up and takes over the forum process exhibiting the professionalism and nonpartisan behavior that the voters and candidates deserve.

Tom Grieb

110 Thayer Drive

Portsmouth