GOP Rep’s Office Nixes Obamacare Town Hall Because A Reporter Was Present

Rep. Peter Roskam’s (R-IL) office cancelled a meeting with constituents about Obamacare on Wednesday when a staffer for the congressman learned that a reporter was present, according to the Aurora Beacon-News.

Constituent Sandra Alexander told the Beacon-News that she arranged the meeting about the Affordable Care Act with Roskam’s staff ahead of time and informed them that she would be bringing along a small group.

But staffers cancelled the meeting before it could begin, ostensibly because there were members of the media present

Roskam’s outreach coordinator, Eddie Corrigan, told the Beacon-News that the meeting was closed to the press.

“It is a meeting with constituents — we are not shutting down the press,” he said.

Another staff member then informed the group of constituents that only eight were to attend the meeting, even though 16 people had arrived, and he scolded the group for having a reporter present, according to the Beacon-News. He informed the group that the office would reschedule the meeting, per the Beacon-News.

Alexander told the Beacon-News that she was unaware of any conditions for the meeting, and said that she did arrange for a meeting with just eight people. But Alexander said she had been willing to send some people home if the group was too large. She also said that the reporter present was willing to leave if Roskam’s staff wanted the meeting to be closed to the press.

“He just ran off,” she told the Beacon-News. “They never told me that the media could not be here, and the reporter was willing to leave so that we could have our meeting.”

“I am flabbergasted that Peter Roskam and his staff would turn us away,” Alexander added. “They didn’t have the courtesy to listen to us. We are a peaceful group.”