Dems, Moderator Skip Debate; Fischer, Pollack Pitch Platforms at Polish Hall

The planned Democratic primary debate went on as scheduled Thursday night at Polish Town Hall, despite the fact that only two candidates turned out for the event. The planned moderator and one of the event's co-hosts were also not in attendance to speak before the sparse crowd.

Democratic candidate for town supervisor Greg Fischer and his running mate for town council, Ruth Pollack, each gave about 10-minute presentations on their qualifications and later took questions from the audience.

After the event, Fischer called the "Rent is 2 Damn High" party candidate Jimmy McMillan to speak over the phone to the crowd. McMillan, who worked with Fischer during McMillan's failed gubernatorial campaigns in 2006 and 2010, was unintelligible for much of the speech due to poor cellphone reception.  

Elena Sassower of the Center for Judicial Accountability acted as moderator of the event after the intended moderator, League of Women Voters of Brookhaven President Nancy Marr, refused to attend. 

"I was glad to do it as a debate, because that's what the League does," Marr said in an interview after the debate, but she said she decided not to attend after hearing the other candidates would not be present.

"After I realized only one group was coming … it seemed like something we didn't need to do," she said. "It isn't a debate if there aren't two sides."

Marr was approached by a member of Fischer's campaign to moderate the debate. Fischer said after the debate he rented the Polish Town for $150 using his campaign funds.

"It was clearly something he was organizing," Marr said. Her organization agreed to become involved with the debate after two other organizations, the Center for Judicial Accountability and Americans for Legal Reform — of whom Fischer is a board member — agreed to host the event. The representative from Americans for Legal Reform did not attend the debate due to "personal issues."

About 40 residents attended the debate. Most were motor sports enthusiasts from outside Riverhead who came because of Fischer's support for a racetrack at EPCAL. Several prominent Republicans from the town, including Deputy Supervisor Jill Lewis and Tony Coates, an advisor to Supervisor Sean Walter, also attended.

During his presentation, Fischer said he would support shutting down the Long Island Power Authority and establishing a town-run power authority, as well as an online system for citizens to inspect government and report issues.

“If someone sees a pothole or a vagrant, you can take a picture of it with your cell phone and put it up online,” Fischer said. He also reiterated his support for a raceway facility at EPCAL, as well as a zoo at the site.