Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate Denied The Right To Speak

By Kleinheider Posted on July 22, 2008 at 12:20 pm

Tom Yancey reports on the treatment of Lenny Ladner at a meeting of the Northeast Democrats:

At the end of the meeting, one man seated on the second row asked for time. The man turned out to be Leonard “Lenny” Ladner, a Democratic candidate who is also on the ballot for the Senate nomination.

Light declined to give Ladner time, not even 10 seconds, so Ladner began speaking anyway, in a loud, apparently agitated voice.

Ladner angrily asked Light why he, a candidate who spent $500 to travel to Greeneville, was not allowed to speak.

He then asked the candidates, “Why is it all your solutions” involve large amounts of spending and the growth of government?

He then asked Light “Why not let a working-class person speak?” Ladner is a long-haul truck driver.

Light answered, “I don’t want to,” without elaborating, causing Ladner to turn to the audience and say, “You all heard that.”

Ladner then walked out of the meeting. Several in the audience said Ladner later apologized to candidate Tuke in the parking lot.

After the meeting, Light told The Greeneville Sun that he decided not to include Ladner because polls showed him having little chance. Light also said others who had heard Ladner speak advised him against it.

(via Demarcationville)

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Tags: Bob Tuke, Ken Eaton, Lenny Ladner, Mark Padgett