This is what the T&C say:
"[The rate must be] publicly viewable and available on the Internet on a Third-Party Website and, as determined by Choice representatives, is lower than the rate offered on ChoiceHotels.com at the time the claim is reviewed by Choice by an amount greater than US $1.00"

It was publicly viewable, otherwise I couldn't have booked it. Just because the agent couldn't see it (maybe I booked the last one available? maybe the deal expired before they got around to looking at the website?) doesn't mean it wasn't publicly viewable. They are claiming that the agent couldn't see the rate, which is probably true, but the T&C don't say the agent has to see the rate. They say the agent has to determine that the rate was lower than Choice's by at least $1. All you have to do is look at my two reservations (which I sent them) to determine that one is >$1 lower than the other.