Another Republican lawmaker has faced a cacophony of boos and jeers when coming face-to-face with the general public to defend President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda.
Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) felt the wrath of constituents over the huge tax and spending bill, the trade war, and the crackdown on immigration when speaking during a town hall in Chico, California, on Monday.
Tensions ran so high that LaMalfa, who was reportedly holding his first in-person forum in close to eight years, was repeatedly called a “liar” when doing his utmost to justify the president’s policies.
LaMalfa joins a growing cast of GOP politicians who have been given a raucous reception when meeting voters.
Earlier this month, Rep. Mike Flood (R-Neb.) was heckled relentlessly when confronted over Medicaid cuts, the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, and ICE detentions.
LaMalfa, who represents a large rural area of Northern California, held the town hall despite GOP top brass ordering an end to in-person events because of the rise of so-called “professional protesters.”
A major flashpoint in Chico came when a constituent asked LaMalfa, “Why are you part of this movement toward fascism?”
After LaMalfa asked him to “stop right there,” the constituent continued with his actual question. He went on: “If you’re not here to announce your resignation, why aren’t you here to apologize to the farmers of the North State because of your support for the Trump tariffs?”
“Do you actually want to talk about something productive?” LaMalfa replied, before suggesting the inquiry was “grandstanding.”
Related: Hillary Clinton Just Hit On One Of Donald Trump's Biggest Insecurities With Three Words
Against a backdrop of jeering and a distinct cry of “You’re a loser, Doug,” the congressman outlined how farmers in India had undercut growers in the region, so someone needed to be “bold enough” to take action on tariffs.
“You’re a little loose with the word ‘fascism’ when there’s plenty of it going on on the other side of the aisle,” LaMalfa added, without giving details on the Democratic Party.,
LaMalfa was also drowned out by boos when delivering the standard Republican line about eliminating “waste and fraud” to justify cutting Medicaid.
@MorePerfectUS / Via Twitter: @MorePerfectUS
“We don’t want anybody to be harmed by this effort,” he said. “Indeed, we want the focus to be on those folks that actually do qualify. And that will be a bigger win for them.”
“You liar!” was one audible response among the dissonance.
Also at the town hall, an attendee who said their parents were Holocaust survivors compared Japanese internment camps of World War II to ICE raids and deportations under Trump.
“Will the name LaMalfa be mentioned in the same sentence as [Hitler’s propaganda chief Joseph] Goebbels, [Nazi physician Josef] Mengele, and Trump?” the constituent asked.
“I predict no,” LaMalfa replied.
Local ABC affiliate, KRCR News Channel 7, has broadcast the town hall in full.
@KRCR7
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Also in In the News: "The AI Told Him To Kill Himself And He Did": 10 Nightmare Things AI And Robots Have Done To Humans
Also in In the News: A Viral Video Is Exposing The Massive Difference Between Christianity And "MAGA Christianity," And Trump Supporters Are Not Happy
Also in In the News: "This Is Like Applauding A Grown Man For Being Able To Wipe Their Behind": 29 Of The Best, Most Brutal, And Funniest Political Tweets Of The Week
Comments