Marshall, Wehrly feud over debate criteria

Nye County sheriff’s candidate Sharon Wehrly agreed to a debate with questions posed by the audience and no moderator in a town hall setting, a format rejected by her opponent, Assistant Sheriff Rick Marshall.

Marshall’s campaign manager said Wehrly rejected the latest request for a debate, this time a televised debate, by KPVM-TV owner Vern Van Winkle issued Aug. 28.

In an Aug. 28 letter to Marshall, Wehrly wrote: “It is my belief our debate should be conducted in front of a live audience with uncontrolled access to the Nye County voters and news media, i.e. newspapers, radio and television. No single entity should be allowed to monopolize this event. For this reason I am suggesting we set a mutually agreeable time, date and neutral setting for the debate and we share the cost of the meeting hall rental.”

The Bob Ruud Community Center or the Pahrump Nugget Hotel and Casino banquet hall were suggested as possible venues.

Wehrly proposed an open town hall setting with no moderator; questions posed by the audience with one question per person; questions must pertain directly to the candidates’ qualifications for office and they will be given three minutes to answer a question.

In a response to Van Winkle dated Aug. 28, Marshall’s campaign manager Laura Billman requested Wehrly submit three possible times for a debate, to take place before the end of this month. Questions should be submitted to a moderator and sealed in an envelope, not to be opened until the debate begins. Questions posted on Facebook and screened by Van Winkle’s moderator would be fine.

“The opponent has made mention that she is concerned about attacks and the Marshall campaign agrees. Steps should be taken to prevent that. This race has been volatile,” Billman wrote.

In a campaign statement, Marshall’s campaign blasted Wehrly over her statement and for not including the KPVM-TV owner in the distribution of her letter.

“Rick Marshall has, to date, accepted four separate debate requests from three different entities and the opponent has yet to appear and/or respond to any of them,” Billman wrote. “The Marshall campaign contends that this letter is actually a panicked response to a debate invitation from the owner of KPVM, Mr. Vern Van Winkle, issued on Aug. 28, 2014 which Rick Marshall immediately accepted.”

Wehrly denied accusations she was ducking a debate prior to the election.

Wehrly said she declined a request to debate Marshall at a Nye County Republican Central Committee meeting because a family member entered hospice.

For that function Marshall’s campaign suggested each campaign pick a representative on a panel that will decide which questions will be asked, keeping their questions a secret from the opponent’s representative. NCRCC Chairman Bill Carns was asked to moderate by the Marshall campaign.

Wehrly said she declined another debate invitation because she was taking a class for her Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification.

Wehrly charged questions posed by moderator Karen Jackson during a candidates’ night at the Pahrump Nugget before the primary election in May were geared toward Marshall, who seemed to have advance knowledge of the questions.

The Marshall campaign rejected the “rules of engagement” proposed by Wehrly in her Aug. 28 letter.

“If the opponent had followed through with the second debate request, from a different entity, she would be aware that Rick Marshall’s campaign manager, Laura Billman, had not agreed to her demands because her outline is not a debate format. Her outline is an open candidates’ night, commonly referred to as ‘meet and greets.’”

While Wehrly has expressed concerns over personal attacks by the audience, the Marshall campaign said, “her format invites these personal attacks, whereas a true debate format does not allow for personal attacks. The Marshall campaign is requesting his opponent participate in a true debate concentrating on the issues pertaining to the office of sheriff, if she is truly interested in a debate this time. A debate format requires both parties answer the same questions. It requires a rebuttal period. It also requires a timer and a moderator. It requires screeners for the questions, to make sure that the debate stays on topic and avoids personal attacks that the opponent has expressed concerns over in the past. The format being proposed by the opponent seeks to allow her to hide from questions not posed by her supporters.”

Wehrly said a true debate is where both candidates are given a question and they debate back and forth. She said that sort of debate has never been done before in a Nye County sheriff’s race before an election. In past elections sheriff’s candidates appeared at candidate forums, along with a host of other candidates for office. The sheriff’s race was often a highlight of the candidate nights for many attendees.

Wehrly said she plans to be in attendance at an NCRCC meeting at 10 a.m. Sept. 16.

While the argument over a formal sheriff’s debate continues, a schedule has yet to be announced for any other candidate forums or meet and greets before the Nov. 4 general election, but if past elections are a guide, there will most likely be a handful of them where residents can query campaign hopefuls.