Posted on 10/01/2004 7:40:28 AM PDT by areafiftyone
George Mason University on Thursday canceled plans to have ``Fahrenheit 9/11'' director Michael Moore speak on campus five days before the presidential election.
The decision came after a Republican state legislator wrote a letter to university President Alan G. Merten protesting the Fairfax school's plans to pay the filmmaker $35,000 to speak on Oct. 28.
``We just felt it wasn't the most appropriate use of (public) funds, so we decided the best thing to do was cancel,'' school spokesman Daniel Walsch said.
George Mason didn't notify Moore before making the decision public, Walsch said.
A message left seeking comment from Moore wasn't immediately returned to The Associated Press, but he told The Washington Post he plans to come and speak anyway.
``I'm going to show up in support of free speech and free expression,'' he said.
Loudoun County Del. Richard L. Black wrote a letter dated Tuesday urging Merten to reconsider the university's ``lavish payment'' to Moore, or to cancel the appearance.
``Tax money is being spent poorly, and for partisan purposes,'' wrote Black, who has one of the General Assembly's most conservative voting records.
Walsch said university officials didn't discuss with Moore whether they would allow him to speak if he waived his fee, nor did they approach student groups or other private organizations to come up with the money.
Moore's film, still playing in theaters, criticizes and ridicules President Bush's response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and his decision to invade Iraq.
he just lost 35,000 chesseburgers
must be mad now
I love it when the words "Michael Moore" and "dump" appear in the same sentence.
I think that's mad cow.
Well, that was quick, eh?
Too bad you'll miss a good freeping opportunity, but maybe you can still heckle him if he shows up for no $$.
Glad to see that they came to their senses! We won't get to freep him, but I'll happily forgo that to save the taxpayers $35,000
GMU.
According to the Washington Post article the contract has an out clause that permits either side to cancel up to 5 days before. Moore suggested that he disputes this and probably will fight it, but if he does it will become a public embarrassment. If that happens you can probably expect to see the legislature getting involved in an investigation of some sort.
Virginia House of Delegates 2004
Delegate Richard H. Black
Preferred Name: Dick
Member Since 1998
R - 32nd District
County of Loudoun (part)
20978 Flatboat Court
Sterling, VA 20165
Phone: 703-406-2951
Fax: 703-450-2076
Email: Del_Black@house.state.va.us
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