To the editor:
We are not members of any group that protests your service as our representative to Congress or Donald Trump’s performance as president. We are only your constituents who have been involved in our community for many years.
This letter is in response to the fact that you, along with many of your Congressional colleagues, have not had nor do you plan to have public town hall meetings because you believe that certain movements or groups could use “theatrics” to disrupt your meeting. We read your opinion that your hour-long conference call “Listening Sessions” on specific topics held at your convenience with little notice and with a small number of pre-screened questions allowed during those telephone calls, and meetings with individuals and members of community groups, etc. are enough and satisfy your responsibility to meet with your constituents. We don’t believe that those forums fulfill that obligation.
While reading about this topic in the Feb. 12 and 16 editions of the Post-Standard and remembering how critical you were as a candidate of Dan Maffei’s lack of constituent contacts and town hall meetings, we were shocked that you have not had a face-to-face town hall meeting with your constituents since you took office in January 2015. Don’t you see the hypocrisy in defending your own position of not meeting with constituents in open forum? The more you delay having a town hall meeting, the more likely it will be that pent-up frustrations with you will boil over.
Congressman, clearly, you should not be afraid to meet in open session with your constituents because, you believe, there are organized groups that may disrupt your meeting. Citizens of this great country have the right to assemble and voice their opinion. You may well have difficulty in interacting with your constituents in open session but, on the other hand, you need to give your constituents an opportunity to assemble peaceably at your meetings, ask you questions, hear you answer those questions and defend your positions. Give it a try. Properly planned, organized and conducted, town hall meetings are very valuable especially during this time in our nation’s history. Don’t hide behind the power of your incumbency. Serve as you campaigned. Be accessible to all of your constituents.
Patricia and Donald MacLaughlin
Liverpool
