A March 18 Spokane, Washington, town hall was marked by repeated disruptions such as interrupting questions shouted out at Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-WA) while he spoke, others waving red handkerchiefs, and more. The Spokesman-Review reported that Baumgartner told media after the event it may be his last in-person town hall for a while because of how the crowd reacted.
The National Republican Congressional Committee recommended in early March officials stop holding in-person town halls.
Why? Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV, whose district includes Incline Village and Crystal Bay) gave the Nevada Independent an answer in March: “Town hall is now a code word for, ‘Let’s go bully the shit out of somebody in public’ … I don’t need to be screamed at by a bunch of people who are just pissed because I got elected. It’s like, hey — we reflect the district.”
But as outcry in reaction to national political decisions has exploded in the country (p. 23) and as people are growing more alarmed and troubled, they are looking to their elected officials to step up. Meanwhile, representatives are making themselves increasingly distant.
Are uproarious town halls what elected officials signed up for? Are representatives allowed to shut themselves in?
It’s an interesting dilemma, and further proof of just how divisive the United States has become. It takes a strong spine to speak directly to, and hear the indignation from, crowds of people who are downright furious. Many, many people involved could benefit from Moonshine Ink publisher Mayumi Peacock’s note last month, Beyond Outrage: A Call for Thoughtful Action.
Yet, elected officials are bound by duty to be beholden to their constituents. I believe an answer for beleaguered representatives is to engage actively with journalistic outlets.
Point to Amodei for being willing to talk to a newspaper. Because Rep. Kevin Kiley, who represents California’s District 3 (including Truckee/North Tahoe), has not responded to Moonshine Ink’s numerous requests for interviews.
He also hasn’t showed up to several live town halls he’s been invited to, and instead has gone the route of telephone town halls.
The first was held on March 17. Moonshine Ink’s publisher, Mayumi Peacock, shared her thoughts: “Twenty-five thousand participants showed a dire thirst for engagement. The questions seemed legitimately unscripted, spontaneous. Yet he answered in short, and follow-up questions weren’t incorporated. One example of where this went wrong was when he said California had the highest rate of poverty. Someone called him out on it in a subsequent question and he reiterated it and said, when you consider cost of living, it was true. That deserves to be clarified. And that format of a town hall isn’t conducive to it. Nor is it a substitute to in-person.”
My news reporter colleague Melissa Siig spoke to the March 27 town hall: “Although there were some questions about [Elon] Musk, etc., it’s much easier to screen questions through the phone town hall format … He claims it’s because his district is so big in terms of square mileage, which is true, but that’s not an excuse to avoid your constituents.”
Kiley’s constituents in our coverage area are desperate for answers to questions about sweeping national cuts to wildfire preparation, Forest Service staff, Medicare services, retirement funds, and more.
While the avoidance of live town halls might be understandable, where is the sense in ignoring media, who can represent blocks of constituents and ask informed questions with respect and equanimity?
Rep. Kiley, we’re not looking to bully anyone, we’re advocating for civil discourse, widely considered a fundamental basis of democracy. Responsiveness in governance doesn’t end when voting booths close. Our country needs citizens who can talk to each other — especially when they disagree. Civil discourse is the glue that holds that together. Please call us at (530) 587-3607.
