September 12, 2018
Sheriff McDonnell
Sent via email to Jose Gardea: josegardea@hotmail.com
Re: Elect Your Sheriff forum – September 15, 2018
Dear Sheriff McDonnell:
The coalition made up of the ACLU SoCal, CLUE, Dignity and Power Now, L.A. Progressive, LARRP, NDLON, Reform L.A. Jails and Youth Justice Coalition is extremely disappointed to hear about your cancellation to the upcoming Elect Your Sheriff community forum on Saturday, September 15th.
Forums hosted by and for the community are incredibly important for members and voters to have a direct channel to hear from candidates about their vision and plans, as well as ask questions about issues that matter to them. Most importantly, forums offer a space in which both candidates are provided a platform to defend their stances to their opponents as well as the community.
Though, through your campaign staff, we heard that you were open to attending an event without the other candidate, we strongly believe this takes away the very essence of why forums and debates occur. It also severely limits the type of information that the L.A. voters are able to obtain when only one candidate appears.
It is not just the coalition, that represents members of the community who are disappointed, but I am sure your supporters would be as well when they learn that you will not be facing your opponent for this and any future engagements. Our coalition alone has a total of three forums scheduled, including the one you cancelled. The other candidate, however, has not only attended two forums that were scheduled before the primary election, but has confirmed his attendance to all the forums scheduled prior to the general election.
We strongly urge that you reconsider and re-confirm your attendance to the September 15th forum at Ward A.M.E. and the other scheduled forums.
It is an opportunity that should be accorded to constituents you serve and for voters to decide who they think should be the next sheriff of L.A. County.
Sincerely,
ACLU SoCal, CLUE, Dignity and Power Now, L.A. Progressive, LARRP, NDLON, Reform L.A. Jails, Youth Justice Coalition
