By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Local citizens started out politely asking for a town hall meeting with U.S. Rep. Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green.
When they kept getting put off, the citizens began insisting that Latta listen to them.
Then this week, when those citizens found out Latta had held a telephone town hall without notifying them, some gave up the polite formalities.
“Your constituents have been begging you for a meeting,” one local resident wrote on Latta’s Facebook page. “You’ve been hiding from them to a degree that has gotten so ridiculous that there are songs and videos about you, you’re being compared to ‘Where’s Waldo.’ Why? Local groups that have requested town hall info never got it. Why are you hiding?”
On Wednesday evening, Latta posted on Twitter a photo of himself on the phone and stated: “Great to hear from constituents on my telephone town hall tonight. Topics included health care, tax reform, the budget, opioids and VA.”
That was no comfort to the local residents who had been asking for weeks about an opportunity to talk with the congressman. Comments left on his Twitter account included:
- “That’s fine and good, but District 5 would like to have a face-to-face town hall. We deserve it.”
- “Town hall by phone? Scared of face-to-face? Where was this advertised?”
- “Coward.”
- “It’s almost like the questions were screened so as not to include anything we actually are demanding accountability on.”
Prior to this week’s telephone town hall, citizens tried to lure Latta into a public meeting by posting “Missing” posters of him and videotaping a song with about 20 singers and various string instruments performing “Where oh where has Bob Latta gone?” The song has more than 1,500 hits so far on YouTube.
Congress is on recess next week, so some members are taking advantage of the recess to hold town halls – not just telephone town halls, where calls can be screened.
As evidenced around the country, congressional town hall meetings are not the most comfortable events for politicians right now. In some meetings, crowds have shouted down members of Congress, some who have blamed outbursts on paid protestors.
More than 10 calls and emails to Latta’s Washington, D.C., and Bowling Green offices by Bowling Green Independent News, asking if Latta intended to hold a town hall meeting were met with responses about how much the congressman values citizen input – but no plans for a meeting.
Drew Griffin, communications director for Latta, responded: “Thanks for reaching out again. The Congressman believes that listening to the thoughts and concerns of the people he represents is important to representing them in Congress. That’s why he’s held over 700 constituent meetings in the district over the previous few years. That number includes courthouse conferences, where constituents can receive help with casework and share their views with the Congressman. It’s also why he holds telephone town halls when he is in Washington. These interactions, along with the emails, letters, and phone calls to our offices, have been very effective in helping the Congressman hear the views from a constituency that stretches across 14 counties. At this time, our office doesn’t have a traditional town hall scheduled, but hearing from his constituents will continue to be a priority for the Congressman.”
Latta has been known to spend hours at his courthouse conferences, making sure to meet with every citizen who wishes to speak with him.
Repeated requests from BG Independent News to speak directly with Latta were refused. And requests were also declined for the date of the last true town hall the congressman held in Bowling Green, and an explanation of exactly what type of meetings constituted the more than 700 “constituent meetings” he has held.
Local citizens talk about ACA concerns in Bob Latta’s office earlier this month.
The citizen requests for a meeting with Latta began earlier this month when more than 20 local residents crowded into his Bowling Green office to tell the congressman of their concerns about the looming repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Latta’s staff listened politely and said they would pass on the concerns.
But the citizens wanted more.
“I really want to talk to my representative about the Affordable Care Act,” said Sheri Wells-Jensen, who planned the meeting and who later organized the “Where oh where” song about Latta.
Others joined in pushing for a face-to-face with Latta.
“Rep. Latta needs to have a public town hall meeting. I think he needs to listen to what’s going on locally,” said Laura Landry Meyer. “He needs to get out of Washington.”
During that meeting, Tim Bosserman, Latta’s district representative, said he did not have a current schedule for the congressman. If a local meeting was scheduled, it would appear on Latta’s website, he assured. That did not happen.
Following the meeting at Latta’s Bowling Green office, Griffin was contacted about the possibility of a town hall meeting. He was not sure when the congressman would be available, but added, “it’s something he takes very seriously.”
Many citizens contacted the congressman’s website to ask for a meeting, but heard nothing. So this week, when Latta posted on Twitter about his telephone town hall – after it took place – local residents reacted with anger.
Facebook comments included:
- “This is a sham, Bob. A photo op to give the impression that you are listening to your constituents. You don’t even have the courage and decency to meet with people from your own home town to discuss health care. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
- “Nothing listed about this ahead of time on his FB page or his Congressional website. Is ‘telephone town hall’ now just a euphemism for ‘calling my largest donors?’”
- “There was no press release, and the most recent event on the events page of his website was in 2015. He didn’t Tweet an announcement and there wasn’t anything on his FB page before the event. So that sounds to me like no notification at all.”
- “Need to communicate better with your staff. As recently as last week we asked when you would hold a townhall. Crickets.”
- “This is a sham. We have been following you, been in touch with your office on countless occasions and didn’t know about this.”
- “How about a real face-to-face town hall with your constituents.”
- “Wait a minute. We here in District 5 have been BEGGING for a town hall meeting with you. Why didn’t you publicize this meeting?”
Last month, the Wood County Health District wrote to Latta with questions about the impact of Affordable Care Act changes on the Community Health and Wellness Center – where many people benefitted by the ACA are now getting health care.
Latta responded in a letter, criticizing the ACA, but thanking the health district for its questions. “In order to make sound voting decisions, I need to hear from the constituents in the Fifth Congressional District.”
Latta is scheduled to attend the Lincoln Day Dinner on Feb. 23 at the Stone Ridge Country Club, but still has not announced any plans to meet with the public while he is home over recess.
