My thought is that he clearly anticipated an opportunity to spin for sympathy.The conference could have been attended at the mere personal expense of travel/lodging(maybe)since it was a scholarship.Why alert the media of this when you knew the latest rules regarding owed monies blocking further travel,unless you just wanted favorable attention along with reintroducing your agenda of persecution.I truly hope he RSVP'd early with a note of appreciation for being given the opportunity,anyway.What a loss,when someone could have benefited by attending.