Walsh calls on Bean to attend upcoming candidate forums

Republican 8th Congressional District hopeful Joe Walsh criticized Democratic incumbent Melissa Bean outside her Schaumburg office Friday for not committing to a pair of League of Women Voters candidates forums in the next week.

He said she's guilty of the same lack of responsiveness to her constituents she accused her predecessor, Phil Crane, of just before she defeated him six years ago.

"She was the challenger back then, but she made it clear Phil Crane didn't want to debate her because he knew he was out of line with the district," Walsh said.

The first of the upcoming candidates forums is Saturday at the Barrington Area Library, 505 N. Northwest Highway in Barrington. The next is Oct. 2 at Friendship Village of Schaumburg, 350 W. Schaumburg Road in Schaumburg.

Bean's office said the congresswoman has committed to facing both Walsh and Green Party candidate Bill Scheurer at a joint meeting before the Northwest Herald editorial board on Oct. 4 and at another League of Women Voters forum Oct. 20 at Grayslake Central High School.

Bean spokesman Jonathan Lipman said the congresswoman continues to review invitations to other events. He gave no specific reason for Bean's not attending the forums Saturday or Oct. 2, but said Walsh already was well aware of her commitment to meeting him at the two later events.

Walsh said he never heard any such commitment and doesn't believe the Northwest Herald meeting even counts.

"The Northwest Herald editorial board meeting is not a debate," Walsh said. "I assume she's going there because she wants their endorsement."

Though video of the candidates' responses is supposed to be posted online after the meeting, Walsh said it is not an opportunity for the public to question Bean.

He said he's heard a lot of anger while campaigning that Bean has never talked publicly about her vote in favor of the controversial health care bill.

"She voted for the biggest piece of health care legislation since the '60s," Walsh said. "The fact that she's not even talking about it says a lot."

Scheurer said he's been at forums at Grayslake Central High School before and on those occasions they were aimed specifically at students to ask questions.

But Lipman said Bean's understanding is that the event will be open to the general public.

Scheurer said he agrees with Walsh's assessment of Bean's reluctance to debate in public, but also criticized Walsh for not including him in his frequent calls for a debate.

"I would agree with him that she is afraid of voters, but I think he also talks out of both sides of his mouth," Scheurer said.

The 8th Congressional District includes portions of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties.