Lanier Avant, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson’s chief of staff, said that he did not say the congressman is agreeing to debate his Republican opponent Bill Marcy before the November election, as was reported in the Tuesday, April 24 edition of this publication.

Asked if the congressman was willing to debate Marcy, Avant twice said that the congressman “welcomes any opportunity to defend his record” but never said that Thompson agreed to debate.

Marcy was also asked the same question and said he would welcome a debate before November.

Avant was also asked what issues would the the congressman like to debate to which Avant responded, “The congressman will continue to be responsive to the needs of the voters and the issues they believe are important.”

“Dissatisfaction with a given response is not license to interpret or alter that response … but this article warrants a retraction,” Avant wrote in an e-mail to managing editor Rupert Howell concerning the story written by reporter Billy Davis.

Editor Howell responded stating, “I must say that part of the issue comes from poor editing on my part as toward the end of the news story, it did state ‘…days before Thompson accepted…’”

“Also looking through the reporter’s notes and reading your summation of the conversation, I would have—and actually did, come to the same conclusion that the reporter did, believing that your words did not rule out a debate,” Howell’s response continued.

Avant responded “Your reading of my statements is the intended meaning, ‘the Congressman has not ruled out the possibility of a debate.’”

The story was picked up by the Clarion-Ledger as well as other news sources following last Tuesday’s publication.