Back home in his California district for a two-week House recess, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) faced boos and tough questions at a town hall on Saturday.
During the two-hour event, attendees held up signs reading “Obamacare Fix It, Don’t Nix It” and “Independent Commission Re Russia/Trump,” and audience members shouted “Do your job,” according to CNN.
McClintock was met with boos when he said that congressional investigations into Russia’s election meddling should also look at whether Susan Rice, the national security adviser under President Barack Obama, broke the law, per CNN.
As members of the crowd shouted and jeered, McClintock had to asked the audience to be quiet, according to CNN.
“Ladies and gentleman, this is supposed to be a civil discussion,” he said. “Be civil, be polite, and allow people to have a civil exchange of ideas.”
One member of the crowd, David Emerson, criticized the Republican plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, which has stalled again in the House.
“You promised me (at the February town hall meeting in Roseville) that the shift from Obamacare would be equal to or better,” Emerson said, according to the Auburn Journal. “Shame on you, Tom, you’ve lost your integrity.”
McClintock defended the American Health Care Act.
“The AHCA (American Health Care Act), in its amended form, can save $250 billion simply by the efficiencies that competition will return to the market,” he said, per the Auburn Journal. “I want to make sure no one suffers from sticker-shock in a consumer-driven system.”
One member of the crowd called McClintock a “rubber stamp for Donald Trump,” and another complained that the congressman did not answer questions, CNN reported.
“Mr. McClintock, are you aware that you don’t answer questions?” an attendee asked, prompting cheers from the audience, according to CNN.
“I answer questions,” McClintock replied, per CNN. “You might not like the answers, but that’s what discussions like this are all about.”
The congressman was met with applause when he said that President Donald Trump needed congressional approval for the missile strikes on a Syrian air base the U.S. launched in response to a chemical attack, according to CNN.
“I think that this President does need to be held to the letter of the Constitution,” McClintock said, per CNN. “I believe his attack on Syria exceeded his authority as commander-in-chief.”
I feel a Congressional wave election building up steam.
And so it begins…
Is it wrong that I’m smiling …
Keep up the pressure, folks. In the meantime, work diligently to find a replacement for all these noodniks that don’t understand that their job is to represent their constituents, not their benefactors or the POTUS. This should be a question asked at every single town hall, whether Dem or Rep - for whom do you work? Get the answer on audio and/or video and run it incessantly during the next campaign. I guarantee you no one on the GOP has yet learned they work for us.
As time goes on, I think you’re right. But most likely, it’ll show up in the House not the Senate. Works for me.
What a shame it’s such a shitty Senate cycle for us.