GOP Rep. Mike Lawler faces another rowdy town hall as police carry away audience member
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See woman removed from Mike Lawler town hall by police in Somers NY
U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler faced a mostly hostile crowd during his second town hall event Sunday night. His second town hall was held in Somers, N.Y.
WASHINGTON − Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., faced another hostile crowd at a town hall as attendees broke out into boos and jeers and a constituent was forcibly removed by police.
The swing district congressman was pressed on May 4 over President Donald Trump's tariffs, deportations, spending cuts and other issues as he addressed 600 people at the Kennedy Catholic Preparatory School in Somers, New York, The Journal News reported.
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At one point during the town hall, police surrounded a woman in the crowd and she told them, 'I'm not leaving,' according to footage from ABC News. People around her began chanting, 'Let her stay!' and she was eventually carried out of the event by police.
It was not clear why she was removed.
During the event, Lawler defended his record, claiming that he's willing to work across the aisle to get bills passed.
'Bipartisan sounds nice, but meaningful bipartisanship is in votes taken, not in the fig-leaf of co-sponsored bills,' one attendee told Lawler. 'Now is your time to stand up to the authoritarian Trump regime.'
The Associated Press reported that the crowd walked out of the town hall when the final question was asked on protests against Israel.
More: Anger erupts at Republican lawmakers' town halls amid tariff and DOGE drama
'I appreciate everybody coming out tonight and taking the time to ask your questions and hear my answers, whether you liked them or not, or agreed with them or not, or whether you really actually wanted to listen to them or not, but I very much appreciate you participating,' Lawler said, according to AP.
More: New York Republican Mike Lawler faces jeers and boos at town hall
Just last week, Lawler faced a fired-up town hall at Clarkstown South High School in West Nyack, New York. He is one of the many Republicans who have been greeted by angry constituents at these events in recent weeks amid thousands of federal layoffs, stock market volatility over tariffs and mass deportations.
Contributing: David McKay Wilson, Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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