Is Jim Costa Taking a Page from Biden's Playbook? Will He Step Out of the Basement to Debate Michael Maher in Public?

Oct 22, 20242 min read

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Alexan Balekian | (559) 223-1061 | alexanontheair@gmail.com

Andre Levesque | (916) 626-6804 | andre@gbacampaigns.com

Fresno, CA - What’s Jim Costa hiding from? Voters in California's 21st Congressional District are eager for a debate, but career politician Jim Costa refuses to engage in a true public forum. They deserve to see both candidates face tough questions. Local veteran and businessman Michael Maher has welcomed requests from broadcast TV and local media for an open debate with no preconditions. However, Costa has yet to agree, responding instead with a cease-and-desist letter over Maher’s truthful ad that highlights Costa's decades-long failure to deliver kitchen-table solutions and foster prosperity for families and Valley farmers.

While Costa has attended a Veterans Alliance forum at Fresno’s American Legion Post 509 and a Town Hall at the Rotary Club of Fresno, both events were private, barring full media access, and attendees were prohibited from using smartphones. In one instance, Jim Costa paused mid-sentence to directly admonish an attendee for using their smartphone. This isn’t the first time he has stopped someone from recording, even in public areas. These restrictions raise serious concerns about Costa’s transparency and willingness to engage with voters in a public forum where they can freely observe and participate. Why is Costa consistently avoiding open, public debates where voters can witness both candidates address the critical issues facing the 21st Congressional District?

In contrast, Costa’s fellow Democrats—Adam Schiff, Rudy Salas, and Adam Gray—have all publicly committed to debating. It’s clear that Costa fears Maher will expose his lackluster record. Maher is urging voters to do their homework before casting their ballots and calling on the mainstream media to shed light on the major issues facing the 21st Congressional District. Costa’s attempts to censor democracy must not go unnoticed.