However, Lentz campaign manager Kevin McTigue said that the district leaders' explanation was misleading and that they had caved in to the Republican majority on the school board. McTigue said that he signed an agreement Friday in the office of the principal and that the Secret Service completed a walk-through the same day.
"The school district says we jumped the shark on this, but I'm saying we didn't," McTigue said. "I signed an agreement on Friday. It's really disappointing because one of the most important things our children can learn is to always tell the truth."
He said the district contacted him Monday and rescinded the offer.
"I think the Republicans on the school board arranged for the event to be killed," McTigue said.
In response, district spokeswoman Lisa Williamson said the district did not receive any paperwork until Monday.
Grobman could not be reached for comment Monday night to respond to McTigue's assertion. But earlier Monday, Grobman said that hosting the rally "seemed like it would be more of a disruption than we were prepared to handle."
The Biden event is now scheduled to be held at the Sulpizio Gym, 125 Wayne Ave., Wayne, at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
The dispute comes in the final eight days of a tight race between Lentz and Republican Patrick Meehan for the open seat in the Seventh Congressional District, which includes most of Delaware County and parts of Montgomery and Chester Counties.
Grobman said that discussion of the rally involving the administration, the vice president's office, and Lentz's office had begun Friday afternoon. The district did not sign any agreement and did not even get the completed application back until Monday morning, after the Lentz campaign had announced the rally, Grobman said.
