GOP Rep: ‘Paid’ Female Constituents Are ‘In My Grill’ About Opposing ACA Repeal

Seventh District US Congressional Republican candidate, David Brat displays an immigration mailer by Congressman Eric Cantor during a press conference at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, May 28, 2014. Brat ch... Seventh District US Congressional Republican candidate, David Brat displays an immigration mailer by Congressman Eric Cantor during a press conference at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, May 28, 2014. Brat challenged Congressman Eric Cantor's stand on immigration, claiming that Cantor backs amnesty. Cantor is getting pressured from both sides over immigration as his Republican primary election nears and the window for legislative action narrows. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Rep. David Brat (R-VA) told a meeting of conservative groups over the weekend that he has been hounded by female constituents opposed to the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

“Since Obamacare and these issues have come up, the women are in my grill no matter where I go,” Brat said at a Saturday event, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

“They come up—‘When is your next town hall?’ And believe me, it’s not to give positive input,” he added.

Brat told the newspaper that he believes the protesters are being “paid” by leftist organizations to disrupt conservative events.

“I had one woman on my Facebook say she was going to get up in my grill,” he said. “There’s paid protesters…paid activists on the far left, not my Democratic friends I go to church with.”

“They’re being paid to go around and raise havoc,” he continued.

Brat attributed the pushback for his decision to delay further town halls until after President Donald Trump’s term is well underway.

“Over the past couple of weeks my office has been inundated with phone calls, and emails and comments on social media requesting a townhall meeting, and believe me, I fully intend to have plenty of townhalls that are open and transparent as soon as our first 100 days agenda is implemented and we come up for a breath of air,” he wrote in a Monday Facebook post.

Republican lawmakers across the country have found their town hall meetings disrupted by voters worried about losing coverage if the health care legislation is repealed and about the GOP’s lack of a replacement plan. They are not all Democrats. One two-time George W. Bush voter told TPM recently that it made his “blood boil” when Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO) skipped out early on a town hall and then blamed the crowds at the meeting on “partisan activists.”

Trump frequently blamed “professional protesters” for taking to the streets to protest his candidacy, and has done the same in response to the mass demonstrations that have frequently erupted since his election.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. He’s just confused because these aren’t the usual “paid females” Republican bible-thumpers are usually found with, and they’re over 18…

  2. Avatar for theod theod says:

    1 / His name, Brat, describes him well.

    2 / Please note that he has offered ZERO proof of any of his constituents being paid. He simply chooses ad hominem attacks for any political opponent.

    3 / Further proof that TEA Party activists are ill-equipped to operate in a representative democracy. They are angry, ideological zealots who prefer an autocracy of their own mold. Yet when they protest, it’s perfectly OK.

    4 / David Frum’s analysis of our impending Autocracy is worth promoting & reading : https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/03/how-to-build-an-autocracy/513872/ It clearly explains Congress’ fecklessness, which is exactly what Brat is illustrating in this specific example.

  3. Avatar for mantan mantan says:

    Hot winger slows to a Cantor…

  4. So, he is going to pick and choose which constituents he listens to. Remember this, you voters who live in Brat’s district! If you are female and disagree with his stance on the ACA, he will dismiss your views!

  5. Brat needs to grow a pair if he is going to wear big boy pants to work. Keep it up ladies, give this Brat what he needs - a kick in the ass !

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

149 more replies

Participants

Avatar for doremus_jessup Avatar for orangelobster Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for jloomis3 Avatar for clemmers Avatar for commiedearest Avatar for joebob Avatar for theghostofeustacetilley Avatar for darcy Avatar for pb Avatar for riverstreet Avatar for jcblues Avatar for maire Avatar for khaaannn Avatar for dnl Avatar for darrtown Avatar for tena Avatar for jonney_5 Avatar for fjasmine Avatar for lizzymom Avatar for j.dave Avatar for maximus Avatar for coprophagoussmile Avatar for win

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: