Laura for ANC

Post to Chevy Chase Listserv following CCCA forums.

I too was confused about the scheduling of the CCCA forums..

Here’s my email to the CCCA from October 2, after I was given a slot for Tuesday, Oct. 8, 9-10 pm.  

On Wed, Oct 2, 2024 at 8:11 PM Laura Phinizy <phinizyl@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hello, Rasheen.  I saw the announcement of the panel next week, and I was surprised to see it from 7 to 10 PM [Tuesday]. The original message said that the zoom would be at 7 PM, and I assumed like most debates it would run an hour. Now I’m in a 3rd group of a 3-hour zoom.  I can give you an hour before 9 pm, but 9 pm to 10 pm is not going to work.  If another pair is willing to switch, that’s fine, or perhaps go down to 40 minutes for each group, which would put the last group from 8:20 to 9 pm.  

Please let me know if there’s a way to find a time ending before 9 pm.   

Best,

Laura Phinizy 

Over the weekend, I confirmed by phone and email that I could do either day, as long as I ended by 9 pm.  The other contender for the ANC 3/4G slot, Mark Wolfe, and I spoke on Sunday the 6th, and initially we agreed that if CCCA could not fit us in before 9 pm either day, we could just have our own zoom so that we both could appear at the same time.  CCCA was firm on the 9 pm Tuesday start time, so Mark and I jointly let CCCA know Sunday afternoon that we were going to bow out of the forum. Mark reconsidered that, and Monday and Tuesday, Mark had further discussion with the CCCA about going solo.  On Tuesday, CCCA slated him for 9 pm on Wednesday.  I will note that Mark kept me posted about their discussion and confirmed that the CCCA would not offer a time earlier than 9 pm on Wednesday.  So Mark planned to go solo Wednesday at 9.

On Wednesday, the timing of the forum changed.  I was not contacted by CCCA, but I have seen emails showing the chronology of events:

About 4:30 pm on Wednesday, the CCCA emailed Mark Wolfe (and presumably the other candidates) to ask if they might reschedule to a single, earlier and shorter session that evening with 3 candidates from 3 Single Member Districts.  

About 5 pm, Mark Wolfe asked what time CCCA was thinking, and 3 minutes later, was told to arrive at 6:30 to work out technical details, with the forum to run from 7 to about 8:30.  Mark replied right away that he thought I would be available, and asked if the CCCA wanted to check in with me.  The CCCA replied, “No. There have been enough complications and we are two hours away. Let’s try to make this as simple as possible.” 

Friday, October. 10, I posted my answers to the questions that I would have given, had I been allowed to participate, to the listserv.  I also sent a copy to the CCCA.

What’s past is past. The main things are 1) that anyone curious about my answers can find them on the listserv; and 2) the other contender for SMD-04, Mark Wolfe, has acted with courtesy and transparency throughout this process.  

Best,

Laura Phinizy

lauraforanc.com