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

Yahoo

18-03-2025

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) 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.' (Foxx later in the segment expressed her support for Elon Musk, President Donald Trump's billionaire adviser, and the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which has proposed major cuts in government and the dismantling of federal agencies.)
'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. I'm happy to answer your questions and talk with you personally,' Foxx told Gowdy in response to whether she'd host a town hall.
'I don't do town halls because I think it's just an opportunity for people to yell at their member of congress,' she added. GOP lawmakers have notably been facing furious constituents during public forums in congressional districts across the country.
But people deserve to have the opportunity to hold their representatives accountable — and getting a meeting with a member of congress isn't so simple, according to experts. Liz Barber, director of policy and advocacy at the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina, emphasized that it's 'next to impossible to simply get a call through to a representative's office right now, let alone a spot on their calendar.'
'Layer real life considerations, like time off work, transportation and child care, and it is nearly impossible to think that this is a real option for most people,' Barber said.
She also pointed out that elected officials get to choose whom they have personal meetings with, which can often result in a lack of 'equal access,' and that representatives might primarily meet with those who agree with them — or with people who have influence.
'When a public official only answers questions behind closed doors in a meeting, their constituents don't get to know what was shared, making it harder to hold representatives accountable to their promises and positions on any issue,' she said.
Laurel Harbridge-Yong, professor of political science and associate director and fellow at the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University, said that while legislators might prefer one-on-one dialogues for a variety of reasons, it would be challenging to realistically execute, and it could cause elected officials to only hear from 'constituents with the most resources' — those who would be able to accommodate taking off work mid-day, or potentially traveling to Washington, D.C.
'This means legislators would learn less from constituents who lack the resources to secure a one-on-one meeting,' she said. 'This would exacerbate the skew in representation toward the interests of the well-resourced.'
Republican lawmakers have been relentlessly booed and heckled by voters at contentious town hall events, where attendees have aired their grievances over government layoffs, Musk's influence in the Trump administration, Department of Veteran Affairs layoffs and proposed future cuts, among other issues.
Foxx represents North Carolina's 5th Congressional District, which has a total population of nearly 750,000 people — including nearly 50,000 veterans, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
People on X, formerly Twitter, slammed Foxx for the reasoning behind her reluctance to host town halls.
'Fun Fact: Constituents don't get mad at you when you do a good job,' one X user wrote.
Foxx's remarks shows that elected officials like her 'are afraid and know their policies are not as popular as they think!' wrote another.
Here's why else town halls are important and what you should do if your officials won't hold a meeting:
Party members have been advised by Republican leaders to avoid town halls, and GOP lawmakers, like House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), have publicly claimed that those sounding off at members of congress at these events are actually paid protesters — and not constituents.
But several clips and interviews from town hall events highlight attendees who identify as Democrats, veterans and local Republican voters.
'It is good policy and a sign of a healthy democracy for elected officials to have public meetings with constituents, and a refusal to do so will not silent people or their outrage,' Barber said about the importance of town halls overall.
'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 (R-N.C.) 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. 'I do feel that the days of being cordial and respectful are over, because we're not being respected.'
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.
'Democracy is not always comfortable or polite, and a key part of the job for any elected official is understanding that you are a public servant working for all of your constituents, not just those who agree with you,' Barber said.
'Sometimes that means hearing voices of dissent and getting tough questions,' she added.
Harbridge-Yong said that you should call your congress member if your representative isn't hosting a town hall, because their office staff keeps logs of what issues and positions people are calling about.
'Vote in the midterm and presidential elections. And vote in the primary elections that choose the nominees for the major parties, especially if you live in a safe district or state where an incumbent is unlikely to lose even if they are unresponsive to constituent opinions,' she said.
Barber advised people to 'reach out in whatever ways you can,' such as calls, e-mails and visits to local district offices.
'Organize in your own communities and hold town halls to discuss the issues that matter to you and to brainstorm solutions together, even if your representatives don't attend,' she said.
'Democracy thrives on open discussion and sharing of ideas,' she continued. 'Follow the ACLU or other organizations that are taking actions on issues that you care about ― and vote.'
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