LOWELL -- Libertarian Party candidate
for governor Dean Cook last night said the gubernatorial debate sponsored by a Boston
media consortium amounted to an illegal "in-kind" contribution to the two major
candidates.
Cook, whose request to participate in
the debate series was rejected, said he plans to ask the Massachusetts Office of Campaign
and Political Finance to rule whether the debates violate laws on campaign contributions.
The political debates are sponsored by a
consortium made up of representatives from the Globe, the Herald, and major television
stations.
Cook cited state law that he said
defines "in-kind" contributions as any donation of services provided at a
discount or rebate not available to other candidates for the same office and to the
public. The law, he said, specifically mentions broadcasters that give time to candidates.
Broadcast time given free to candidates is considered a contribution unless "time of
the same duration and the same market value or the same amount of space is made available
to all other qualified candidates ..."
Cook said that by providing a platform
for only two of the three eligible candidates - Acting Governor Paul Cellucci and Attorney
General Scott Harshbarger - the debate was in violation of campaign finance laws.
"They can't claim to be merely
reporting on a campaign event when they participate in the decision of whom to
invite," Cook said.
Cook, and his running mate Elias Israel,
gathered enough signatures to appear on the November ballot, even though there are only
about 7,000 registered Libertarians in the state.
Globe political editor Doug Bailey last
night said the decision to exclude the Libertarians was a "news judgment," based
on the small number of registered party members and the fact the party does not receive
regular daily coverage.
"Including Mr. Cook would have
benefited a small number of his supporters while taking time away from a large number of
people who want to see and hear the two major candidates," Bailey said.
A small contingent of Libertarians
protested outside the Lowell Auditorium last night.