Rintz Responds to Cancelled League of Women Voters Forum

The League of Women Voters has cancelled its Winnetka Village President candidate forum because one of the candidates, Caucus-slated candidate Gene Greable, has declined to participate.

"My qualifications to serve as President and my long and active record of leadership are very well known," Greable said. "My resume speaks for itself. The Winnetka Caucus Council interviewed us both at length and then selected me." 

Greable continued to state that any debate should have happened at the Town Meeting when Greable's nomination was ratified, and that there was no opposition from Rintz or his supporters who "could and should have appeared to challenge my nomination and qualifications in the proper forum." 

Read earlier coverage about the cancelled forum here. 

"He did not do so, when he could have debated this specific issue with me at the critical time and in the most appropriate place, when 600 of his fellow Winnetkans were present and would have given him and his supporters a full and fair hearing,' Graebel said. "Accordingly, I declined the LWV invitation."

Chris Rintz, the independent candidate for the position of Winnetka Village President, expressed his disappointment that the forum was not going to happen. 

"I respect Gene Greable and I respect the Caucus, but there are times that we disagree and now is one of those times," Rintz said. "I accepted the League's invitation to a forum debate as soon as it was extended. This would have been a wonderful opportunity for voters to learn about us both and make an informed decision about which of us will be the better person to lead Winnetka in the future." 

He continued on to say that he feels the election is about the vision that each candidate has for the future of the village.

"Elections are not just about resumes listing what a candidate has DONE; elections are much more about what a candidate will DO to address current issues and concerns that are important to voters now," he said. "And the Caucus is certainly not, as Mr. Greable suggests, the only 'proper forum' for such discussion."

Rintz added that the League of Women Voters forum would have provided the opportunity for both of the candidates to tell Winnetkans what they think and answer questions. 

"In my opinion, any discussion with voters is the best and most "proper forum" in any political race," Rintz said. "I'm disappointed the voters were denied a marvelous opportunity offered by the League for them to get to know both of us and make an informed decision about leadership for the Village."

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