Rep. Mike Kelly's (R-PA-03) Erie Office Swamped by Constituents Demanding a Town Hall Meeting!

[blue neen]

Kelly hasn't had a Town Hall in Erie since 2011! Very good article and video here:


"Erie County, Pennsylvania, has been (until last year) a reliable Democratic stronghold. However, in the election of 2010, Republicans swept all statewide elective offices (US Senate, Governor) as well as both houses of the state legislature. (Republicans already controlled the state senate, but they also took control of the state house.) At that time, Erie County was entirely within Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District (PA-03); Republican Mike Kelly defeated incumbent Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper in that race."

"As happened in several states after that election, with Republicans in total control when the time arrived to redraw congressional districts, they gerrymandered the districts to their advantage, and very effectively so. In our corner of the state, Erie County was split between PA-03 and PA-05. This split was engineered to prop up then-new Congressman Mike Kelly by dumping half the county’s voters into Glenn Thompson’s extremely red district. (PA-05 spans half the state, from Erie County all the way to State College, 210 miles away by car.) Ever since then, both congressmen have ignored Erie County, despite the fact that our region has the greatest population density of either district."

"The kick in the pants to progressives provided by the election of 2016 has inspired some of the constituents of these congressmen to demand long overdue attention. Keystone Progress has an Erie chapter, currently led by Dan Doubet, that has spearheaded organizing protests and other actions against encroaching fascism. Today’s action was going to Mike Kelly’s Erie office to demand an in-person, open town hall within the next 30 days. (His most recent in-person town hall in Erie was in February of 2011.) Approximately 50 people showed up (see above), more than could fit into the office. Letters written by the protesters, and by others who were unable to attend, demanding the town hall, were delivered."

The encounter was recorded on Facebook Live. You can watch it at this link. https://www.facebook.com/keystoneprogresserie/videos/1271477179604846/

"We took Kelly’s staffer a bit by surprise, I think. Once he understood the demand, he provided the phone number for Kelly’s scheduler in Washington. When the scheduler suggested a town hall by phone, shouts of “NO!” arose from the crowd. One of the protesters present, Cindy Purvis, agreed to be the local community contact person for arranging the town hall. We left chanting “We’ll be back!” if they failed to follow up on this demand."

Read more at:

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/7/1631105/-Rep-Mike-Kelly-s-R-PA-03-Erie-Office-Swamped-by-50-Constituents-Demanding-a-Town-Hall-Meeting

[blue neen]

1. His scheduler suggested a PHONE Town Hall.

Of course! Mike Kelly, another Republican Coward, doesn't want to face his constituents. You know, the taxpayers who are paying his salary, health care, pension, and every other perk he gets.

Meanwhile, no Town Hall since 2011.

[DeminPennswoods]

8. Rothfus also telephone townhalls

But, to be fair, he's done them all along and does hold face-to-face community meetings. I haven't gotten any mailers lately announcing any public meetings though.

[blue neen]

9. Rothfus "Telephone Town Halls"

Rothfus would spend the first 20 minutes of his telephone town halls reading a diatribe against Obama. He had a captive audience, and you had to sit there and listen to his PROPAGANDA if you wanted to ask questions. The questions themselves are pre-screened. The Republicans are always controlling the message, so I don't consider that much of a "Telephone Town Hall". It's more like a Telephone Lecture.

Murtha's telephone town halls were great. He went to the questions right away and wasn't afraid to answer them.

So, Rothfus needs to have some genuine Town Halls. Does anyone know when his last one was?

[DeminPennswoods]

12. I'd get robocalls announcing them, but never listened in

I'd get robocalls, but I never bothered with them. He's done a few events out here, but those were before Trump was elected. I haven't gotten any mailers since then. There's nothing on his website although there is a form to schedule a meeting at a district office or have him at your event. Maybe you/your group should request his attendance at some innocuous sounding event...

Rothfus never comes to the beat down little mill town where I live, but he did send a rep to the community event celebrating a recent state championship. That made me mad since he has zero interest in helping public schools, but he sure wanted to bask in the glow of our win.

If I get any mailers with public events, I'll post it.

[Chasstev365]

2. Good!

We need more of this as a reminder to these arrogant jerks, drunk on power: THEY WORK FOR US; NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!

[blue neen]

3. Bingo!

The Republican bullies have pushed us too far.

[PA Democrat]

4. Another sniveling Republican coward who is afraid of facing the people who pay his salary.

Mike Kelly would rather hide behind his wealthy and corrupt campaign donors like the Koch brothers.

According to newly released campaign finance reports, Congressman Mike Kelly (PA-03) was rewarded with $1,000 in campaign contributions in June from Koch Industries after Congressman Kelly supported the Koch’s agenda of protecting tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, Big Oil, and companies shipping jobs overseas. Koch Industries is run by the shady, conservative oil billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch and has previously put over $10,000 into Congressman Kelly’s campaign.

Sure enough, next week Congressman Kelly is poised to vote for another tax break for millionaires like the Koch Brothers at the expense of the middle class, small businesses and seniors.

“Congressman Mike Kelly’s campaign is being bankrolled by the shady, billionaire Koch Brothers in return for supporting their special interest agenda that protects tax breaks for millionaires, Big Oil, and companies shipping American jobs overseas instead of protecting the middle class and seniors,” said Jesse Ferguson of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Taking campaign cash from Koch Industries tells you everything you need to know about Congressman Kelly: he is beholden to special interest campaign contributors and their agenda that puts millionaires first and the middle class last. After raking in this special interest campaign cash from the Koch Brothers, does anyone have to guess if Congressman Kelly will vote for more tax breaks for millionaires next week?”

http://www.eriedems.com/node/1763

[blue neen]

6. It figures.

The Koch Bros. and their filthy money are infesting every nook and cranny of our democracy.

Good find, BTW.

[femmocrat]

5. Great news.

They can run but they can't hide!

[Mc Mike]

7. Good. Thanks, b n. rec, nt.

[blue neen]

10. I hope this happens all over the Commonwealth, Mc Mike.

People are sick of the gerrymandering and even more sick of being pushed around.

[Mc Mike]

11. Me, too.

I'd like to see Kelly, Doothfus, and Murphy all targeted and eliminated in a backlash.

[DeminPennswoods]

13. He'll do 2 "tele-town halls" over the break

Last edited Sat Feb 18, 2017, 07:25 AM - Edit history (1)

This is according to what's published on Townhallproject.com. The GOPer in PA6 is doing the same.

I guess they don't want to face their constituents in person, but maybe a group could gather and put themselves on speakerphone so they could still ask questions and comment as a group.