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Fox News
29-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
GOP lawmaker defends Trump tax bill to angry crowds at back-to-back town halls
An Iowa congresswoman touted her support for President Donald Trump's tax and spending bill in back-to-back town halls on Wednesday, even as members of the audience jeered and disrupted her speech. "They were booing when I was saying, you know, 'We're preserving tax cuts,' and I can't believe people would boo tax cuts for themselves," Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, told Fox News Digital on Thursday. "I think there are a number of people who just show up to these town halls who want to disrupt. They didn't care what I had to say. They just want to boo and yell and be angry." And there were a significant number of such people at both her town halls in Elkader and Decorah on Wednesday. At both events, Hinson touted her support for Trump and House Republicans' budget reconciliation bill and promoted the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) efforts. Both issues drew largely negative reactions from people there, save for some exceptions. At one point in the first town hall, a woman named Linda stood on behalf of another woman, Nicole, who was in a wheelchair and had "difficulty speaking." Nicole, who relied on federal health and food programs, was concerned about any cuts to those programs making her life more difficult, Linda said. The crowd then cheered as Hinson pledged that Republicans were only reforming those programs, "so that people like you can continue to have access to the treatments and medications you need." The goodwill was short-lived, however, when the next questioner accused Republicans of cutting university funding in favor of tax cuts for the wealthy – despite Hinson pointing out the bill does not change income tax brackets. "It's an absolute crime," the man shouted. The boos grew louder when Hinson accused top universities of "letting men play in girls' sports." People in the crowd could be heard screaming "stop it" and "stop spinning." At her second town hall, the crowd jeered as Hinson emphasized her support for Trump. "The president is, I believe, fighting for you and fighting for me. I'm fighting alongside of him. I think God saved President Trump's life in Butler," Hinson said before briefly pausing as the boos swelled. "I think He saved his life in Butler, Pennsylvania for a reason. I think he is helping us to save this country," she continued. Hinson was still unfazed by the protesters when she spoke with Fox News Digital the next day. "I did exactly what I said I was going to do," Hinson said. "I feel good about what I was able to communicate and correct the record yesterday. And I will not only defend this agenda and answer any questions any day, any time of the week, but I think it is really important that I'm out there on offense, correcting the record." The congresswoman said the disruptions grew so loud that it prompted a Vietnam War veteran to address her after one of the events and tell her, "I couldn't hear over all that, and I think that's a shame because I wanted to hear what you had to say." "That's really the disservice. Again, these people who their only intent is to disrupt, someone like that man who served our country, who wanted to come hear what I had to say, had trouble hearing me," Hinson said. "People there want to be able to have civil discourse and ask the questions and hear my answers."
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Iowa town hall descends into CHAOS as crowd turns on pro-Trump congresswoman
A Republican congresswoman's town hall meeting descended into chaos earlier this week as the angry residents of a small Iowa town booed her on stage and lobbed insults at her. Republican House Representative Ashley Hinson faced jeering and heckling at two town halls in Elkader and Decorah in her home state on Wednesday night when she voiced her support for President Trump's sweeping agenda bill. In one clip captured at the event in Decorah, Hinson told the crowd: 'I was also proud to vote for President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill last week.' She hardly finishes her sentence before the crowd erupt in boos and heckling, as she says: 'This is a generational investment', before adding: 'This is your time'. The Des Moines register reported that she was also branded a 'liar' amid sporadic moments of applause for the Republican. Hinson also said: 'I believe the president is fighting for you, and I'm fighting alongside him. 'I do think the president was saved that day in Butler, Pennsylvania, for a reason', referring to the assassination attempt on his life. House Republicans approved the bill, dubbed 'the big, beautiful bill', which combines tax breaks, spending cuts, border security funding and other priorities. The Des Moines Register also reported that she was questioned over Elon Musk's role in government, which he formally stood down from on Wednesday night. Neil Henkenius told her: 'I'm not only speaking for myself, but I'm speaking for all of the veterans, all of the federal workers that are out there. 'People don't need a billionaire, like Musk, running our country', saying the decision to let him lead DOGE was like giving him a chainsaw. In response, Hinson said: 'I think that Elon Musk came in and helped to join and lead a team of people who are actively working to find this waste, fraud and abuse every single day. 'Some of the things that they are discovering every day would make your skin crawl', she said as she was again shouted down by those who had gathered, the outlet said. NBC reported that she was branded a fraud after a man accused Trump and the administration of breaking the law by ignoring the orders of federal judges. She was asked by one man: 'When are you going to do the responsibility that you were elected for by holding the executive branch accountable up to and including impeachment?' Hinson said: 'Judges need to follow the law. I don't think this country needs another impeachment charade', which again angered the crowd. Hinson is seen here speaking during an Iowa GOP reception in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in May of 2023 House Republicans, like Hinson, managed to muscle through Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' which will see at least $880 billion in cuts largely to Medicaid. While Republicans say they are rooting out 'waste, fraud and abuse' to generate savings, Democrats warn it could leave millions of Americans without coverage. A preliminary estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the proposals would reduce the number of people with health care by 8.6 million over the decade. The bill is estimated to add another $3.8 trillion to the national debt which currently stands at a monstrous $36 trillion.
The Guardian
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Republican Iowa congresswoman booed at town hall over Trump policies
Constituents booed Republican congresswoman Ashley Hinson at a town hall in her Iowa district Wednesday when she praised Donald Trump's tax-and-spending plan and spoke approvingly of the 'department of government efficiency's' (Doge) efforts to downsize the federal government. It was the latest instance of a Republican lawmaker being taken to task at a public event over their support for Trump's policies, and came days after Hinson had voted for the the One Big Beautiful bill when it passed the House of Representatives. The wide-ranging bill will extend tax cuts enacted during Trump's first term, create new deductions for tips, overtime and car loan interest and fund mass deportations, while slashing federal social safety net programs. Hinson drew a chorus of boos when she told the audience in the town of Decorah that she was 'proud' to have voted for the bill. 'This is your time,' she said over the din. A similar outburst occurred from the audience at mention of Doge, which Hinson said she had received positive feedback about during an event elsewhere. The crowd broke into cheers when a constituent who identified himself as Steve Peterson referred to Trump's acceptance of a jet from Qatar and promotion of his own memecoin and asked Hinson: 'Could you help me understand why you are silent about this corruption?' 'I think it's really unfair to imply that I like to see corruption in Washington DC. I reject that premise wholeheartedly. I am here answering your questions in public because I care about transparency,' replied Hinson, who added that the jet was acquired from Qatar 'ethically'. First elected in 2020, Hinson's north-east Iowa district leans towards the GOP, but has been represented by Democrats in the past. At least one attendee at her town hall identified herself as a Democrat, and the county party noted that Hinson would be holding events in the district on Wednesday. Similar scenes have played out at town halls held by Republican lawmakers in Iowa and elsewhere. The state's long-serving senator Chuck Grassley was grilled last month by constituents over his support for Trump's hardline immigration policies, while in Georgia, police used a stun gun on two people during a town hall held by Marjorie Taylor Greene, a fervent Trump supporter. Democrats hope the public discontent is a sign that voters are ready to sweep them back into the majority in the House next year, and the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, which coordinates House campaigns, reportedly advised lawmakers to stop holding town halls. Hinson was not alone in facing questions over her support for Trump's Big Beautiful bill, which passed the House narrowly and awaits consideration by Senate Republicans. On Tuesday, Mike Flood, a Republican congressman, faced a raucous crowd at his town hall in Seward, Nebraska, and admitted he was not aware that the bill contained language that could prevent federal judges from enforcing injunctions or restraining orders, several of which have been issued against Trump administration policies. 'I am not going to hide the truth. This provision was unknown to me when I voted for that bill,' said Flood, who added he had expressed his disapproval to senators.
