Blackwell Fails to Respond to Repeated Invitations to Meet with We Believe

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

(Columbus, Ohio) – Gubernatorial candidate Kenneth Blackwell has failed to respond to repeated open invitations to meet with We Believe clergy – despite publicly stating three weeks ago through a spokesperson that he would.

On Thursday, August 17, We Believe met with gubernatorial candidate Ted Strickland. As reported in the Columbus Dispatch on Friday, August 18, We Believe had sought to meet also with candidate J. Kenneth Blackwell. That request had been turned down by Blackwell prior to the August 17 meeting. In the Dispatch article, Carlo LoParo, a spokesperson for Blackwell, said “Blackwell still would be interested in meeting with the group as his schedule permits, even after the group issued the press release criticizing him.�

We Believe contacted the Blackwell campaign again the following week. But despite LoParo’s statement, our invitation – delivered via fax, certified mail, and voicemail – has been ignored.

We Believe is an organization representing more than 150 clergy in central Ohio who serve a diverse constituency of moderate, liberal and conservative Ohioans across a broad religious spectrum.

We Believe that the governor and the state must be responsive to all its citizens.

We Believe that it is deeply troubling that a candidate who has expressed the importance of religious life so often and so persuasively as Mr. Blackwell is not interested in hearing from and speaking to those who represent streams of faith outside his own.

We Believe continues to be ready to meet with Mr. Blackwell.

Here is the invitation that was issued to Mr. Blackwell on August 22:

The over 150 clergy of We Believe Ohio again cordially invite you to a private meeting. After you declined our open invitation to meet at any time, we read with interest in the Columbus Dispatch last week that, according to your spokesperson, Carlo LoParo, you are interested in meeting with us.

This is an open request for a meeting and we sincerely hope to work with you to find a time that works for all of us.

This meeting would have the same format as the one we held with Representative Strickland: The pastors of We Believe Ohio would share with you issues and ideas we consider important for Ohio’s future. In turn, we would welcome your responses to those issues and ideas based on your vision for Ohio if elected Governor.

This meeting would not be publicized or open to the public. We are hopeful that this will be a time for you to share with and listen to the pastors of “We Believe Ohio� and the thousands of citizens in the congregations they represent.

Best Regards,

The Pastors of We Believe Ohio

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CONTACT: Eric McFadden (614) 551-8907