MC Candidates Forum Contentious At Times...
The Missouri City candidates forum went off without a hitch Wednesday night, at least for the first few minutes of meet and greet. The event was sponsored by a coalition of concerned citizens of Fort Bend and a students group. Once the introductions had concluded the gloves were off. One candidate was conspicuously absent from the event. A fairly large group of protestors showed up from a coalition of Asian-Americans protesting Danny Nguyen's candidacy for numerous reasons. Two of the incumbents in attendance, Allen Owen and Jerry Wyatt, who have openly endorsed and supported Mr. Nguyen's campaign were criticized by members of the group and some in the general audience for their continued pushing of a "slate of candidates" that include developer Nguyen.
During the Q&A session one audience member asked before the packed house if Jerry Wyatt or Allen Owen were aware of Mr. Nguyens business and tax liens from multiple entities including a federal lien. Mayor Owen did not respond and Wyatt claimed to have no knowledge of such problems with Mr. Nguyen. Following another query from audience members, all the candidates in attendance, with the exception of the mayor and Mr. Wyatt, agreed that taking campaign financing from companies doing business with the city and then voting on those projects was something they would not do. Mr. Wyatt made the usual "politicians denial" that he had always followed the law with regard to campaign finance but he would not condemn the practice often called "political cronyism"...
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