APPLETON, Wis. — State Rep. Rachael Cabral-Guevara today expressed her displeasure that a proposed debate between the Republican primary opponents running for the 19th State Senate district was cancelled due to her primary opponent’s demands – violating free speech and the First Amendment.
The Fox Valley Initiative (FVI) planned a debate on August 1st between Cabral-Guevara and special interest candidate Andy Thomsen, but the FVI issued a statement today cancelling the debate due to Thomsen’s set of demands and rules that included:
1) Non-Disclosure agreement
2) Non-Disparagement agreement
Cabral-Guevara said she was stunned at Thomsen’s requirements to participate in a debate with conservatives and Republicans. The demands included “a non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreement in which both campaigns cannot discuss the debate or use it against the other candidate-whether the debate happens or not.”
“Andy Thomsen is clearly afraid to debate in front of Republican voters and activists. He’s unwilling to answer why he sided with liberal Governor Tony Evers in opposing a common-sense bill that reduces healthcare costs and provides more medical freedoms for Fox Valley families,” Cabral-Guevara said. “Thomsen is being bankrolled by special interests in Madison who’ve contributed thousands of dollars to his campaign. He should answer why he’s siding with Madison and leftist politicians over the hardworking families of the Fox Valley.”
Ed Perkins, FVI president, said, “We believe this an attempt to silence criticism of one’s political stances and prevent other campaigns from freely expressing the truth. FVI has always stood for upholding the freedoms of an individual as inscribed by the Constitution. We always want to ensure that freedom of speech remains intact.”
