Re: “Politics of town halls aren’t new<\/a>,” March 16 news story<\/p>\n After House Speaker Mike Johnson told Republicans<\/a> to stop in-person meetings, Congressman Jeff Crank of Colorado’s 5th District changed his planned March 5th in-person town hall meeting to an online format.<\/p>\n When Crank’s constituents objected to his decision not to show up, Crank said,<\/a> “Why do they want to have an in-person town hall meeting? So they can stand there and wave a cane in my face like Al Green did last night and steal the show? I’m not interested in doing that.”<\/p>\n I’ll leave alone the “steal the show” part and point out that the folks to whom Rep. Crank refers as “they” are citizens he supposedly represents. Citizens he supposedly serves. All citizens who reside in Colorado’s 5th District, whether or not we voted for Crank, are his constituents.<\/p>\n But it’s not only our congressman’s dismissive attitude that’s galling. The online meeting was wholly unsatisfactory, with residents frustrated\u00a0there was no ability to interact or to ask follow-up questions.<\/p>\n The experience was, in fact, so unacceptable that a few local groups<\/a> \u2014Indivisible-Colorado Springs, Progressive Vets, the Labor Council and El Paso County Democrats \u2014 held an empty-chair town hall on March 17<\/a> to hear constituent concerns.<\/p>\n While Congressman Crank won’t face his constituents, he was in Colorado Springs on March 20 to address The Winter Night Club, an exclusive organization. He still has a chance to do the right thing, but I won’t be betting on him.<\/p>\n Cyd Chartier, Colorado Springs<\/em><\/p>\nThankful for Reps. Hurd and Evans for standing up for clean energy tax credits<\/h4>\n
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