BILLINGS — Boos and cries of the word "cowards" filled a town hall Wednesday night as attendees voiced frustration over the absence of three Republican federal lawmakers—Sen. Steve Daines, Sen. Tim Sheehy and Rep. Troy Downing.
“During congressional recess, when our senators return home to their states, and our representatives return home to their districts, they meet with their constituents to have a conversation,” said Elizabeth Klarich, founder of Yellowstone County's Indivisible Chapter and organizer of the event.
Watch the video of this story below:
Instead of the lawmakers, three chairs seated signs with their names.
“I just thought, 'Do something really nice that would honor them and truly invite them to be here,'” said Tom Feeley, who hand calligraphed the signs. “It’s not some radical left ideology that’s driving this. I think it's the real people in the state of Montana.”
Daines, Sheehy, and Downing all received the same six questions separately via email from Montana Television Network (MTN):
- What message do you think your absence sends to your constituents, especially those who feel unheard?
- How can your constituents hold you accountable if they don’t have opportunities to speak with you in an open forum? If a town hall isn’t the right venue for engaging with the public, what alternative methods are you offering for direct dialogue?
- What do you say to voters who feel that avoiding public forums suggests a lack of transparency?
- Do you believe elected officials have an obligation to make themselves available for unscripted, public conversations with constituents?
- How do you prioritize constituent concerns in your decision-making if you’re not actively participating in public discussions like town halls?
- Elected officials are meant to represent all constituents, not just those who voted for them. How do you ensure the voices of those who did not support you are heard and considered in your decision-making?
A Sheehy spokesperson defended the lawmakers' decision not to attend, telling MTN in a statement citing a tweet by Sheehy:
"Please see a statement from Senator Sheehy HERE [x.com] and below: 'Here is my response to media asking if I will attend Democrat Dark Money Group Indivisible’s left-wing rallies: No, I will not legitimize a radical group that wants to defund the police and abolish ICE.'"
The group Indivisible, which sponsored the event, has been vocal about its political positions on its website, but Klarich said the gathering was meant to be a space for all perspectives, noting that her parent organization leaves chapters to decide their own guiding principles.
“(I) am not in favor of defunding the police any more than I’m in favor of defunding the Department of Education, or ending USAID, or having people that are not elected officials go into our Social Security Administration and go through the computers and get our personal data,” said Klarich.
Sheehy's representative also sent the following statement:
“This is not a town hall; it is a left-wing political rally organized by Indivisible, a Democrat dark money group that exists explicitly to ‘resist’ President Trump’s America First agenda. Senator Sheehy just spent a year and a half traveling from town-to-town meeting with every Montanan he could during his race for Senate, and he looks forward to meeting face-to-face with countless more Montanans over the next five and a half years to hear their concerns and discuss his efforts to secure the border, keep our communities safe, and bring down prices. Senator Sheehy also encourages folks – whether they voted for him or not – to reach out to our office to receive timely, high-quality constituent services as they navigate the federal government." – Sheehy Spokesperson"
Former Montana Republican Gov. Marc Racicot attended the event, offering a contrast to the absent lawmakers.
“I attended every event I was invited to,” said Racicot, adding that while tensions remain high, elected officials have a duty to engage with their constituents. “Yes, it is angry. Yes, we have a responsibility to turn down the temperature, to be full of self-restraint and humility, to try and speak with each other in a way that recognizes a difference of opinion and respects it.”
Daines’ office issued the following statement to MTN in response to these six questions:
- What message do you think your absence sends to your constituents, especially those who feel unheard?
- How can your constituents hold you accountable if they don’t have opportunities to speak with you in an open forum? If a town hall isn’t the right venue for engaging with the public, what alternative methods are you offering for direct dialogue?
- What do you say to voters who feel that avoiding public forums suggests a lack of transparency?
- Do you believe elected officials have an obligation to make themselves available for unscripted, public conversations with constituents?
- How do you prioritize constituent concerns in your decision-making if you’re not actively participating in public discussions like town halls?
- Elected officials are meant to represent all constituents, not just those who voted for them. How do you ensure the voices of those who did not support you are heard and considered in your decision-making?
"Senator Daines frequently meets with Montanans at public meetings across the state. Daines also hosts statewide, public town halls where tens of thousands of Montanans are able to ask questions and hear directly from their Senator. On top of that, he highly values hearing from Montanans via phone call, email, fax or letter and works to get each Montanan a timely response.
"To be clear—Indivisible is a far-Left organization funded by the radical wing of the Democrat party. They do not unilaterally control the Senator’s schedule, and just as the members of this organization were told when they called the Senator’s office, he will not be able to attend due to previously scheduled events. On top of that, for the past 10 weeks Daines has been in Washington, DC, voting to move forward with the mandate from Montanans: to carry out President Trump’s America First agenda."
"We ask that you run this statement in its entirety."
When Daines' representative was asked, "For accuracy: When was his last public meeting in Billings?" the following was replied:
"Senator Daines has served Montana in Congress since 2013, he has been all over the state and to Billings countless times. Surely you’re aware through your coverage that Senator Daines meets with people publicly all the time."
To the same six questions, Downing's office replied:
- What message do you think your absence sends to your constituents, especially those who feel unheard?
- How can your constituents hold you accountable if they don’t have opportunities to speak with you in an open forum? If a town hall isn’t the right venue for engaging with the public, what alternative methods are you offering for direct dialogue?
- What do you say to voters who feel that avoiding public forums suggests a lack of transparency?
- Do you believe elected officials have an obligation to make themselves available for unscripted, public conversations with constituents?
- How do you prioritize constituent concerns in your decision-making if you’re not actively participating in public discussions like town halls?
- Elected officials are meant to represent all constituents, not just those who voted for them. How do you ensure the voices of those who did not support you are heard and considered in your decision-making?
"The group responsible for facilitating tonight’s event in Billings, Indivisible, has received millions in funding from dark money groups like George Soros' Open Society Foundations. Anyone who attempts to promote or report on this event as nonpartisan has clearly not done their homework or is being purposefully misleading. Since taking office, my staff and I have responded to more than 13,000 messages, fielded more than 2,700 calls, and have met with constituents from across Montana’s Second District of every stripe. I held my first live-streamed town hall in February, and I will continue to engage with my constituents in future events. What I will not do is dignify the efforts of progressive activists who have exhibited a track record of political theater and unruly behavior that far surpasses legitimate political discourse. If liberal Mark Racicot were serious, he would give me a call. He's had my cell phone number for years."
Klarich said the goal was always to provide a constructive forum for discussion.
“You can expect respect, decorum, and a desire to converse in a way that everyone feels heard—both our representatives and their constituents," said Klarich.
