‘Liar!’: GOP Rep. Tom MacArthur Savaged at Epic Five Hour Town Hall
Attendee: “Donald Trump is the greatest threat in our democracy in our lifetime” for attacking press, judiciary, etc. Gets standing ovation. pic.twitter.com/CjDghsIbql
— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) May 10, 2017
GOP Rep. Tom MacArthur returned to New Jersey for the Congressional recess to face a large crowd of furious constituents at a marathon five-hour town hall in Willingboro Wednesday night.
MacArthur, a moderate Republican, was an easy target. The Congressman was credited with reviving the zombified American Health Care Act after authoring a crucial amendment which allowed for its passage through the house.
Like most town halls this week, the event was thoroughly documented on Twitter thanks to a number of reporters in attendance. The forum was contentious from the outset, with protestors arriving hours before the town hall to stage a “die-in”:
Die-in before MacArthur town hall: “Red state, blue state, illness doesn’t discriminate” pic.twitter.com/reEnPihzeu
— Garance Franke-Ruta (@thegarance) May 10, 2017
Large crowd yelling “vote him out” outside Congressman MacArthur town hall in Willingboro, NJ @NBCPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/l5teifyU1w
— Drew Smith (@drewsmithtv) May 10, 2017
MacArthur was determined to face all of his constituents, reportedly telling them he would be answering questions for “as long as it goes.” It didn’t go very long before the crowd heckled him during a story about his daughter, who died at age 11:
This audience is brutal. Even a MacArthur story about taking his daughter off life support is met with calls for him to get on with it.
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) May 10, 2017
Well that didn’t last long. MacArthur now losing the audience, as crowd chants “shame” and consistently interrupting him. pic.twitter.com/PItTbyTm17
— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) May 10, 2017
MacArthur ask for “respect.” Audience: “Can I be disrespectful on behalf of all the people you’re going to kill.”
— Katie Jennings (@katiedjennings) May 10, 2017
The congressman fielded tough questions from constituents over the health care bill’s consideration of pre-existing conditions and cuts to Medicaid. There were also chants calling for single payer health care:
MacArthur asked about pre-existing protection changes. Audience: “If you have a pre-existing condition, stand up.” Most audience on feet. pic.twitter.com/V4lhgGVX7q
— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) May 10, 2017
“I don’t know where it’s coming from, but we are not cutting Medicaid benefits,” says MacArthur.
CBO: Bill cuts $880 billion from Medicaid.
— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) May 11, 2017
MACARTHUR: I’m looking an insurance market that is collapsing.
CONSTITUENT: Because you drilled holes in it!
audience chants SINGLE PAYER
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) May 10, 2017
Man to MacArthur on bill: “It was dead in the water until you revived it. This is my life. Without health care coverage I’m dead. I’m dead”
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) May 10, 2017
“My blood with be on your hands,” woman yells at MacArthur. She says she will die under AHCA.
— Lauren Fox (@FoxReports) May 10, 2017
“Liar, that’s a lie!” a man shouts, before crowd starts chanting “single payer” https://t.co/ppDQzlE7cm
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) May 10, 2017
One of the most passionate pleas came from a medical assistant who said MacArthur’s amendment to the AHCA poses a great threat to his family:
Man angrily tells MacArthur: “You have been the single greatest threat to my family.” Says GOP bill was dead until MacArthur resurrected it. pic.twitter.com/U1O8vTwVBx
— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) May 11, 2017
The town hall wasn’t limited to constituents angry with the AHCA. MacArthur was also grilled over President Donald Trump’s performance and the ongoing Russia investigation:
“I’m concerned that I have a president that praises Vladimir Putin.”
—Constituent at Rep. Tom MacArthur’s town hall (via @MSNBC) pic.twitter.com/juwthcyFY5
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 11, 2017
When the town hall finally wrapped up, after close to five hours of questioning, a few protestors greeted MacArthur outside the forum:
As I’m leaving the MacArthur town hall, death still awaits. pic.twitter.com/mMITVsxfww
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) May 11, 2017
[image via screengrab]
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