GOP Lawmaker Slammed For Baffling Excuse For Avoiding Town Halls — And Experts Have Thoughts

LOADING ERROR LOADING Rep. Virginia Foxx recently gave quite the curious explanation for why she does not plan to host town halls. During a Sunday segment of Fox News’ “Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy,” host and former Republican congressman Trey Gowdy asked Foxx how she would handle “tough town halls” amid pushback from voters on GOP efforts to “reduce the size and scope of government.” “I always tell people if they want me to have a town hall, please come to my office and sit down and talk with me. Here’s why else town halls are important and what you should do if your officials won’t hold a meeting: Town halls and public meetings with constituents are signs of a “healthy” democracy. “They also allow for community members from diverse backgrounds to hear from each other, share perspectives, and collectively hold their representatives accountable,” she continued, before adding: “Once elected to office, politicians should not forget that their power and their responsibilities lie with the people who elected them.” U.S. Army veteran Jay Carey, a Democrat, was escorted out of a town hall event hosted by Rep. Chuck Edwards last week, after he shouted at Edwards: “Do your job!” and “I’m a veteran, and you don’t give a fuck about me.” He’s since told Asheville Watchdog that he doesn’t regret his expletive-laden remarks at Edwards. Harbridge-Yong said that constituents should “have a right to express their opinions and to share their concerns with their elected officials.” While elections are a way for voters to make their voices heard, Harbridge-Yong pointed out that “elections can come too late for a legislator to change their position on an issue,” and therefore town halls would ideally be one way a legislator could “learn from constituents in time to adjust their votes and be good representatives of the public.” However, she said that while constituents have the right to express their concerns or anger, it’s important to note that “doing anything that constitutes threats or harassment toward their elected official” is not acceptable in our democracy.