Rep. Chip Cravaack Agrees To Hold Town Hall Meeting In Response To Demands From Protesters (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON -- Confronting mounting pressure and protests, Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-Minn.) has agreed to hold a public town hall at the Duluth airport at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

Cravaack has hosted two open town halls in the past three weeks, in Deer River and Grand Portage. Some of his constituents, however, were disappointed that he had no plans to hold one in Duluth, the population center of his district.

On Tuesday, Cravaack spoke at the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) in Duluth, but it cost $10 per head for members to attend. The event was not open to the general public. Cravaack spokesman Michael Bars said the fee was charged by the NFIB, not by the congressman, for members to have lunch.

"If Chip wanted to eat lunch at the event, he would have paid $10 too," he said.

Before he was scheduled to speak, he stepped outside to address a group of protesters, organized in part by the North East Area Labor Council.

"What do we want? Town hall! When do we want it? Now!" shouted the group of protesters, who turned out despite the rainy weather.

"You guys want a town hall? You want a town hall?" responded Cravaack, shouting to get the attention of the crowd. "Okay, be at the airport tomorrow, 4:00. We'll have a town hall in Duluth at the airport at 4:00."

Bars said that the congressman had intended to go to Duluth for a town hall as soon as his schedule was open.

He said the Coast Guard exercise Cravaack is scheduled to participate in on Wednesday was shortened, opening up a window for a public meeting.

A recent analysis by the non-partisan group No Labels found that 60 percent of House members are not holding any open town hall events during the August recess.

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), among others, has taken heat for refusing to hold open town halls while being more than willing to speak to constituents who will open their wallets and pay to attend.

Many Republican members who have decided to hold open town halls have been facing protests and angry constituents -- both on the right and left -- who are unhappy with what's going on in Washington.

This story was updated with additional comments from Cravaack's office.

Comments

[OnTopicOffTopic]

04:52 PM on 08/26/2011

Well, at least he handled it the right way and gave his constituents what they want.

Good for the people for demanding it and good for the Chip for doing the right thing.
Better late than never.

[MaryfromIL]

05:10 PM on 08/25/2011

Bet one reason he wanted to hold it at the airport, is airport security is tight. They won't allow the yelling and that the Dems had to put up with in their town halls for 2 summers.

[JFranco]

01:36 PM on 08/25/2011

Does holding an entry fee town hall, where the preponderance of attendees will probably be for a candidate, in lieu of actual town hall, where people opposed to one might attend, constitute the Republican version of a Potemkin Village? And, if it does, do they realize they are fooling themselves?

[Equinator]

09:46 AM on 08/25/2011

Yup, typical GOP. Gotta pay to play or put another way, democracy for sale.

[pollclaire]

12:47 AM on 08/25/2011

Soooo. When they're pushing back against the Obama administration and everything is going their way, they've got plenty of time for town halls. But... when their agenda has radicalized half the electorate against them, they're only got time for paid appearances?

They're going to TRY to manufacture a consensus that supports their agenda by surrounding themselves with barking seals who will clap on command.

Whether it works or not is up to you.

[srooge]

12:42 AM on 08/25/2011

richardhead will not be there.

[indothinker]

12:16 AM on 08/25/2011

isn't he supposed to work for all the people of minnesota? boy, talk about an insubordinate employee...

[smo1111]

11:23 PM on 08/24/2011

"You guys want a town hall? You want a town hall? Okay, be at the airport tomorrow, 4:00." Does this sound like a......PUBLIC SERVANT......to you?

[publicenemy2009]

10:36 PM on 08/24/2011

Send this bum packing in 2012.

[apogee2perogee]

10:19 PM on 08/24/2011

If it isn't about gathering funds for the next campaign, they aren't interested. Beyond that, even, if campaigns are not going to be about hearing what the constituency thinks and using that to inform decision making, then there is no need for these extended campaigns. They have the approved dogma lined up and ready to spout at any opportunity or provocation. The whole thing is well beyond the control of their constituencies. It is a sad day in America.

[InedaName]

09:26 PM on 08/24/2011

A couple of news reports. Sounds like it was short.

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/207620/

http://www.wdio.com/article/stories/S2254529.shtml?cat=10349

[filo]

07:51 AM on 08/25/2011

Thanks for the update. I was wondering if he actually held the town hall or if he was "late" for his plane.

[Joe The Nerd Ferraro]

09:25 PM on 08/24/2011

Congressional Townhall at the Airport -
Will they be able to get past the TSA Screeners?

[SuperhighMe]

08:43 PM on 08/24/2011

he make a 20 min. speech about how we need to cut taxs for the JOB CREATORS,cut programs for the poor and middle class, take a couple a questions from ringers hes put in the crowd and LEAVE! at least thay got him to have one, my rep STEVE SOUTHERLAND wont respond to e-mail and doesnt have nuts to have a town hall. hes way to into his tea party bubble. this next election is going to make or brake us!

[halfwitehalfblak]

07:16 PM on 08/24/2011

I keep hearing that 50% of. Americans pay no taxes but when I ask how much income they make no one can answer

[CabinAgue]

08:22 PM on 08/24/2011

There isn't any American that pays NO taxes, but that small-ish share of federal taxes paid by the bottom 50% is only because the upper 10% have SO MUCH OF THE MONEY!  That these people keep trumpeting this like it proves something are only pointing out just how VERY imbalanced income is -- the top 10% are making essentially ALL of the money!!!  That they (the wealthy) are paying as LITTLE as they are is what is so downright sickening.

[traceymarie]

08:29 PM on 08/24/2011

10,000 and less...2.5% pay taxes. 20,000-30,000 18.5% 30,000-40,000 52.5% pay taxes. 75,000-100,000 9.2% DO NOT pay taxes 100,000->1,000,000. 9% DO NOT pay taxes. marketwatch.com and gov.org

[Gaspar Ramsey]

08:44 PM on 08/24/2011

BS. Here in Texas the poor pay more in taxes as a percentage of their income than the richest 10%. It's called regressive taxation and it is a Republican specialty. And then they steal the money and give it to themselves as the Texas Economic Development Fund, which then donates huge contributions to Perry's elections campaigns. It's as good a racket as Boss Tweed's.

[InedaName]

07:14 PM on 08/24/2011

The town hall should have happened two hours and 15 minutes ago. Can't find any news about it. Someone please post if you were there.